OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
P.O. Box 38712 East Jerusalem
Phone: (972) 2 – 5829962 / 5825853, Fax: (972) 2 – 5825841
ochaopt@un.org, www.ochaopt.org
OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes
Update for oPt (23 – 29 March 2005)
INSIDE: Physical Protection – Deaths and Injuries — Shelter and Property – People displaced/House demolition/Demolition orders — Natural Resources – Land levelling/Requisitions/Tree Uprooting — Facilitation of Humanitarian Assistance – Incidents involving safety and movement of ambulances, medical teams, humanitarian organisations — Access and Movement for Civilians – Curfews, Access to Education, Access to Employment, Closures/Movement Restrictions — Additional Protection Issues
1. Physical Protection
Deaths and Injuries-
Palestinians: Deaths: 0; Injured: 21
Israelis: Deaths: 0; Injured: 2
Internationals: Deaths: 0; Injured: 1
Selected incidents:
• 23 March: A firebomb was thrown by unknown persons at an Israeli vehicle on road 465 near Khalamish settlement (northwest Ramallah). No injuries were reported.
• 24 and 25 March: The IDF used tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets on Palestinian villagers and Israeli peace activists demonstrating against the Barrier construction in Bil’in and Saffa villages (west Ramallah district) on 24 March. Two Palestinians were injured. On 25 March, more demonstrations were organised in Bil’in and one Palestinian and one Israeli peace activist were injured.
• 24 March: An ISM activist was attacked and injured by Israeli settlers in the village of Qawawis. A complaint was filed with the Israeli Police in Kiryat Arba.
• 25 March: The IDF entered Budrus village (west Ramallah) and opened fire at Palestinian houses. Clashes erupted between the IDF and villagers and two Palestinians were injured.
• 25 March: A 13-year-old Palestinian boy was injured at around 9pm in Beit Liqya (south-west Ramallah) from a plastic-coated metal bullets while playing near the Barrier.
• 25 March: one Palestinian was injured when a bomb went off while preparing it in Sheja’ya neighborhood in Gaza City.
• 25 March: three Palestinians were injured when a bomb went off in a house in Khan Younis refugee camp whilst it was being handled.
• 26 March: IDF patrol chased a Palestinian car near Ijnisinya village (Nablus) and arrested the injured driver after his car was overturned.
• 27 March: A Palestinian adult was shot in the leg by a security guard contracted to protect the construction site of the Barrier, west of the village of Beit Awwa, as he was walking close to the area during the evening hours.
• 28 March: One IDF soldier was injured in Jenin city during a search and arrest campaign.
• 28 March: Two Palestinians were seriously injured in Kafr Qalil village (Nablus) when a special IDF unit entered the village. According to IDF the Palestinians were armed. Palestinian sources said the two Palestinian brothers were in their house yard checking the noise caused by IDF when they were injured.
• 28 March: Palestinian lawyer was injured when a device exploded under his vehicle in Gaza city. (The motive is thought to be internal).
• 28 March: A firebomb was thrown at an Israeli bus on bypass road 465 near Ofra settlement (northeast Ramallah). No injuries were reported.
Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, UNRWA, WHO, IDF website, Israeli MoFA, offices of governors.
2. Shelter and Property
People displaced/House demolitions/Demolition orders
West Bank:
• 23 March: IDF occupied seven houses in ‘Attil village (Tulkarm) for several hours and used them as observation points during a search campaign, families were kept inside.
• 29 March: Ten house demolition orders were issued by the IDF to Palestinians in the village of Al Khader, Bethlehem Governorate, for lack of a building permit. According to the military orders, the Palestinians have been given three days to file an appeal with the IDF Civil Administration.
The Gaza Strip:
• Nothing to report.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA
3. Natural Resources
Land levelling/Requisitions/Tree Uprooting1
Jenin Governorate:
• Nothing to Report (NTR)
Nablus Governorate
• Nothing to report (NTR)
Tubas Governorate
• Nothing to report (NTR)
Qalqiliya Governorate:
• 24 March: IDF confiscated 224 dunums belongs to Kafr Thulth and ‘Azzun villages (Qalqiliya) for the construction of the barrier.
Salfit Governorate:
• 23-29 March: Land levelling near Mas-ha and Az Zawiya (Salfit) continued in preparation for the construction of the Barrier, the levelling reached 300 meter south of road 5.
• 23-29 March: Land levelling near of Deir Ballut and Az Zawiya (Salfit) continued in preparation for construction of what IDF calls a special security area. Nearly, 2 kilometres are levelled to date.
Tulkarm Governorate:
• 23-29 March: Levelling of land near Kafriat checkpoint (Tulkarm) continued in preparation for a new tunnel under road 57.
Ramallah / Al Bireh Governorate
• 23 March: The IDF started levelling land west of Ras Karkar village (central Ramallah district) after issuing a requisition order for two dunums to erect a military observation tower. Land levelling continued throughout the week.
• 27 March: The Palestinian DCL received the following IDF requisition orders (Nos T/43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49/ 04) for 18 dunums in Beit ‘Ur al Fauqa, Beit ‘Ur at Tahta, At Tira, Kharbatha al Misbah and Saffa (south Ramallah).
• 27 March: The Palestinian DCL received an IDF land requisition order (T/30/05) for 56.5 dunums in Kharbatha Bani Harith (west of Ramallah) for the construction of the Barrier.
• 27 March: A group of settlers from Ofra settlement (northeast of Ramallah) erected a barbed wire around a piece of land belonging to Palestinians from silwad village for the expansion of the settlement.
Salfit Governorate
• 16 – 22 March: Around 1 km of land has now been levelled for the construction of the Barrier in Mas-ha and Az Zawiya.
• 16 – 22 March: The IDF continued to level land near of Deir Ballut and Az Zawiya in order to clear the land for an IDF special security area.
Hebron Governorate
• 28 March: Palestinians found in the field a copy of military order T/55/05 dated 2 March 2005, with which the IDF confiscates one dunum of land in the area of Beit Ummar (Hebron Governorate) for military requirements.
Bethlehem Governorate
• NTR
Jerusalem Governorate
North West Jerusalem villages:
• IDF continued levelling land between Har Adar Settlement near Beit Surik and Beit Liqya also the area between Qataneh and Kharayb Al lahem which the Israeli Supreme Court lifted the interim injunction against the construction of the Barrier in that area.
North Jerusalem
• Construction of the Barrier is continuing along the main road (60) between Qalandiya and Ar-Ram checkpoints and near ARram Bir Nabalah junction IDF closed the main road at Ar-Ram main entrance for Barrier construction, land levelling is also taking place to construct the new Checkpoint look like terminal is located south of the current checkpoint and west to the Barrier. Also construction and land levelling is taking place east to Qalandia Checkpoint a few metres to the east to construct DCL offices, a parking lot and a road to connect Road 60 from Qalandia area to Ar-Ram Jaba road. Land levelling and construction for the Barrier is also taking place alongside the road between Jaba and Hizma and Anata.
East Jerusalem
• Land levelling is going on east AR Ram near Coptic housing project and Wadi Ayyad near Neve Yaakov settlement, and on the northern side of Anata and Shufat Refugee camp.
South Jerusalem Sur Bahir
– Barrier construction is ongoing on both the eastern and southern side of the village.
Requisition orders
• An amendment to military order T/87/04 was handed to the Palestinian DCL for the Kharayib Umm Al Lahim area, west of Qatanna. According to the order, 349.3 dunum will be requisitioned for the construction of the Barrier.
The Gaza Strip:
• NTR
Sources: OCHA FCU, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL, Village Council
_____________
1 4 dunums = 1 acre; 10 dunums = 1 hectare
4. Facilitation of Humanitarian Assistance
Incidents involving safety and movement of ambulances and medical teams
West Bank:
Denial of access: 0
Delay (more than 30 minutes):
Shooting/Damage to Ambulance: 0
The Gaza Strip:
Denial of access: 0
Delay (more 30 minutes): 3
Shooting/Damage to Ambulance: 0
MoH
• 23 March: although holding valid permits, the MoH reported that only 16 patients were allowed through Erez for further treatment in Israel out of 28 persons attempted to cross.
• 24 March: although holding valid permits, MoH reported that only 15 patients were allowed through Erez for further treatment in Israel out of 35 persons attempted to cross.
Sources: OCHA FCU, WHO, PRCS, Palestinian MoH
5. Access and Movement for Civilians
The IDF Civil Administration released 470 permits through the Palestinian DCL for Palestinian Christians from Bethlehem to enter Jerusalem for the Easter period. According to the Israeli DCL, a total of 4,767 permits were issued for the same purpose thought the churches and for individuals.
A. Curfews
• 23 March: The IDF imposed a curfew on Ras Karkar and Al Janiya villages (central Ramallah district) after shots were fired at the Israeli contractors who are levelling land to build a military observation tower. The curfew was lifted on 24 March in the morning.
Sources: OCHA FCU, Village Councils, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL
B. Access to Education
West Bank:
• 24 March: A student from Silat adh Dhahr village (Jenin) was beaten by IDF solders in his way to the school in the village.
• 26 March: The military escort for the school children in At Tuwani, south Hebron, was delayed for nearly two hours.
The Gaza Strip:
• During the reporting period, the 24 pupils living in As-Seafa were not able to reach their schools on time. They were delayed leaving the As Seafa gate until late morning. Upon return, the pupils were delayed for four hours before being permitted to re-enter through the gate at 3:30pm.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA, UNICEF, Palestinian DCL
C. Access to Employment
West Bank:
• During Purim Jewish holidays (23-27 March) West Bank was closed for all Palestinians. No permit holders were allowed into Israel.
• Nablus: Number of labourers in Israel during February 05, 509, Number of merchants 700.
• Jenin district: Number of labourers in Israel during February 05, NA, Number of merchants 290.
• Tubas district: Number of labourers in Israel during February 05, 102, Number of merchants 150.
• Tulkarm: Number of work permits: 1307 (February)
• Qalqiliya: Number of work permits: 387 (February)
• Salfit: Number of work permits: 531 (February)
• Bethlehem: A total of 1,664 work permits for Palestinian workers and another 1,312 trade permits are active as of to date.
The Gaza Strip:
• 28 March: the total number of permits issued to Palestinian workers was 4012 and 423 permits were issued for merchants. A total of 775 permits were issued for workers to enter Erez Industrial Zone. Workers and merchants must be 35 and over and married with children. (Source PMG).
D. Closure/Movement Restrictions
• 23 – 27 March: A general closure was imposed on the West Bank and Gaza Strip due to the Purim holiday in Israel. The closure affected the movement of Palestinians throughout the West Bank.
Jenin Governorate
• 23 March: Road 60 was closed by a checkpoint for several hours near Arabba junction. The checkpoint prevented all movement through the road.
Nablus Governorate:
• 23 March: Huwwara checkpoint is to be open from 6 am to 6 pm for outgoing movements and from 6 am to 7Pm for incoming movements.
• 23 March: An earth mound was erected on the main entrance to Salem, Deir Al Hatab and ‘Azmut villages preventing access to the three villages. All the movements were channeled to Bit Furik check point. The earth mound was removed 8 December 2004 and replaced by a flying check point in the last four months.
Qalqiliya Governorate:
• 17-20 March: IDF set up a flying checkpoint at the main road between ‘Azzun and Kafr Thulth .
• 17 March: IDF prevented farmers going through Zifm agricultural gate to reach their land west of the Barrier
Salfit District:
• 27 March: IDF reinforced Yasuf earth mound, the water pipe serves Iskaka and Yasuf villages was damaged.
• 28-29 March: IDF opened Yasuf earth mound for two days to facilitate farmer’s access to their agricultural land.
Salfit Governorate
• NTR
Tulkarm Governorate:
• 23-29 March: After the removal of ‘Anabta gate last week, IDF deployed flying checkpoint near the previous gate site.
• 23-27 March: Farmers with valid green permits were not allowed to enter agricultural gates during the Purim holiday.
Hebron Governorate:
• 25 March: Access to the mosque in the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Hebron – H2, was prohibited to male Palestinians between the ages of 16 and 40. The newly installed turnstiles as well as the compulsory ID check procedure at the exit from the casbah, in the old city, resulted in delays and reduced numbers of those able to reach the mosque for Friday prayers.
Bethlehem Governorate
• 25 March: The IDF Civil Administration released 470 permits through the Palestinian DCL for Palestinian Christians from Bethlehem to enter Jerusalem for the Easter period. The Israeli authorities announced that 2,000 permits were issued in total.
• 29 March: the road block closing the access to the Bethlehem Arab Rehabilitation Hospital in Beit Jala was removed.
Ramallah/Al Bireh Governorate:
• Qalandiya checkpoint is now open 24 hours for vehicles and pedestrians.
• 25 March: The IDF set up a flying checkpoint at the entrance to An Nabi Salih village (northwest Ramallah), entered the village and detained people while IDs were being checked.
The Gaza Strip
• NTR
The Enclosed Areas in the Gaza Strip:
6. Additional Protection Issues
• 25 & 26 March: A Group of Settlers from Yits’har settlement entered ‘Asira al Qibliya village (Nablus) and destroyed house windows in the village. IDF arrived and moved the settlers out of the village.
• 25 March: The cleanup operation continued around the villages of At Tuwani, Al Kharruba and Am Faggarah (south Hebron), following last week’s discovery of poisonous feed left in the fields, believed to have been carried out by local Israeli settlers. Palestinian shepherds from the villages a number of Israeli and international peace activists and officers from the Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority were involved in the clean-up operation. The substance has so far caused the death of some sheep and local wildlife.
• 27 March: Three women and four children from the village of Karma, south Hebron, were apprehended by settlers and brought to the Israeli settlement of Otni’el where they were kept for four hours before being released after the intervention of the Palestinian DCL alerted by their families.
• Searches and Arrests
Nablus/Jenin/Tubas
• 24 to 28 March: The IDF conducted search and arrest campaigns in ‘Aba village, Balata refugee camp, Beit Furik, Salim and Deir al Hatab villages, Jenin city, Jenin refugee camp, Fahma village, Kafr Ra’I village, Jamma’in village and near Ijnisinya village. A total of 21 Palestinians were arrested.
Tulkarm/Qalqiliya/Salfit
• 23 -24 March: five Palestinians were reported arrested during search campaigns in Qalqiliya and ‘Azzun ages between18 -23 years old. (Qalqiliya)
Ramallah /Al Bireh
• 23 to 29 March: Throughout the week, IDF search and arrest campaigns took place in Ramallah, Al Bireh, Bil’in and Kafr Ni’ma. Five Palestinian males were arrested.
Hebron/Bethlehem
• 22 – 30 March: Search and arrest campaigns took place in Beit Awwa, Ad Dhahiriya and Hebron with five Palestinians detained. Two Palestinians were also arrested in Bethlehem.
Jerusalem/Jericho
• 25 March: One Palestinian arrested in Abu Dis after a firebomb was thrown at an Israeli vehicle
The Gaza Strip
• 24 March: two Palestinians were arrested at Rafah Crossing while on their way back to Gaza from Egypt.
• 28 March: IDF arrested three Palestinians spotted trying to infiltrate into Israel through the Green Line north of Kissufim.
Sources: OCHA FCUs, UNRWA, UNSECCORD, UNSCO, Palestinian DCLs, Palestinian Governors’ offices, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, IDF
END
Document Sources: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Subject: Economic issues, Incidents, Palestine question, Situation in the OPT including Jerusalem
Publication Date: 29/03/2005