OPT: Protection of civilians – OCHA Weekly report (21-27 September 2011) – Report

PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS WEEKLY REPORT

التقرير الأسبوعي لحماية المدنيين

21 – 27 SEPTEMBER 2011

Key issues

  This week, settler violence and related incidents remain high, resulting in the killing of two Palestinians, of whom one was a child, and two Israelis, including one child, in the West Bank. Over 900 Palestinian-owned trees were damaged by settlers, bringing this year’s total to 7,500.

  This week, five workers were killed and seven others injured while they were working inside tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border. Amid the ongoing Israeli blockade, Gazans continue to rely extensively on goods transferred through the tunnels into the Gaza Strip.

West Bank

One killed in a clash between

Israeli forces and Palestinians

This week, Israeli forces shot and killed a 37-year-old Palestinian and injured at least 18 others in Qusra village (Nablus governorate) on 23 September. The incident occurred when Israeli forces, which were attempting to stop confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli settlers, also clashed with the residents (see next section). It followed clashes between settlers and Palestinians in the same village last week, which resulted in the shooting and injury of a Palestinian and the injury by stabbing of a settler.

Also this week, a number of demonstrations were organized by Palestinians at Qalandiya checkpoint and in Abu Dis (Jerusalem) to support the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s bid for UN membership. The protests evolved into clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians, resulting in the injury of 16 protesters, including three children (aged between 15 and 17), one of whom lost his eye. Twenty-five (25) other Palestinians and two international and Israeli activists sustained injuries in the weekly demonstration against the expansion of Hallamish settlement in the Ramallah governorate. A number of clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians also occurred during search-and-arrest operations throughout the West Bank, resulting in no injuries. Overall this week, Israeli forces conducted around 60 search-and-arrest operations in West Bank cities and villages, well below the weekly average of operations since the beginning of the year (90). In addition this week, a Palestinian man and his 17-year-old daughter were injured when he lost control of his car while being pursued by Israeli forces after reportedly not stopping at a flying checkpoint in the Bethlehem governorate.

Tension high as settler-related incidents result in death

of one Palestinian child and two settlers, including a child,

as well as damage to over 900 trees

On 27 September, an 8-year-old Palestinian child resident of the Al Baq’a area of Hebron City died of wounds he sustained on 23 September, after he was hit by a settler vehicle. Clashes between the residents of Al Baq’a and settlers from the nearby settlement of Kharsina took place following the incident, during which the Israeli police intervened and arrested two Palestinians. Since the beginning of the year, two Palestinians, of whom one was a child, have been killed and 19 others, including 14 children, have been injured after being hit by settler vehicles. Also in the Hebron governorate on 23 September, a settler, and his 18-month-old son, died in a car crash while he was driving on Road. According to the Israeli police, the fatalities occurred when the driver lost control of his car after being hit by stones thrown by Palestinians.

Also this week, in three separate incidents in the Bethlehem and Nablus governorates, a Palestinian was injured when settlers stoned his car and two others injured when physically assaulted by settlers. A settler was also injured when her car was stoned by Palestinians in the Hebron governorate.

During the reporting period, OCHA documented 14 settler attacks that led to extensive damage of Palestinian-owned property. This figure is well above the weekly average of such attacks since the beginning of the year (6). Settlers cut down, uprooted or set fire to over 900 trees in the governorates of Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron. Over half of the affected trees were damaged in two separate incidents in Qusra village (Nablus governorate). Since the beginning of the year, over 7,500 trees belonging to Palestinians have been vandalized by settlers. Israeli settlers also stoned Palestinian vehicles in the Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem and Ramallah governorates, damaging ten of them. Many incidents of access prevention and intimidation by settlers were also reported, resulting in no injuries.