OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS
P.O. Box 38712 East Jerusalem
Phone: (972) 2 – 5829962 / 5825853, Fax: (972) 2 – 5825841
OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes
Update for oPt (12 – 18 May 2004)
INSIDEINSIDE: Casualties — Incidents involving ambulances — Curfew — House demolition — Land levelling/confiscation — Checkpoints/roadblocks/Barrier/restrictions on movement — Education — Labour movement to Israel — Appendix
Palestinians: 51 deaths, 174 injured
Israelis: 7 deaths, 5 injured
Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, IDF website, Israeli MoFA
2. Incidents involving ambulances and medical teams
• 12-15 May: PRCS ambulances were denied access at Abu Houli during the period it was closed.
• 17-18 May: PRCS ambulances were subjected to randum IDF gunfire thus restricting their ability to evacuate injured from the Rafah area.
• 18 May: IDF bulldozers demolished the northern fence of the Tal As-Sultan MoH Clinic and destroyed the wall of the Clinic's pharmacy.
• 18 May: IDF soldiers entered the MoH Tal As-Sultan clinic in Rafah.
Denial of access: 9 incidents (al Zaitoun area and Rafah)
Delay (40 minutes-4 hours): 4 incidents
Shooting/Shelling/Damage to Ambulance: 6 incidents (14 May, a medic was injured while transporting injured to hospital; the ambulance also sustained damages)
Detention of Patient: 1 incident
Curfews were reported in the following locations:
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA
4. House demolitions/Demolition Orders
• 14 May: The IDF handed 9 demolition orders in Idhna village, Hebron District respectively for one house, one gas station, two shops and five other structures due to lack of building permit.
Sources: OCHA FCU, Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights, PCHR, MSA
5. Land levelling/confiscation1
• 22 dunums of land were confiscated about two weeks ago near Kafriat checkpoint in Tulkarm governorate belonging to villagers from Shufa and Faroun. According to the Palestinian DCL, the Israeli DCL informed them that the confiscation is to construct a tunnel under road 57 to connect the outskirt of Tulkarm Town with the other southern villages in the Kafriat area. The area around Kafriat checkpoint all the way down to Taybeh along road 57 has been under construction over the past 8-10 months. Palestinian DCL assume that the reconstruction eventually will end up in a new terminal at Kafriat that constitutes the official border crossing between Israel and the West Bank in Tulkarm governorate (similar to the reconstruction plans at Jaljoulia checkpoint in Qalqilya governorate). These plans have not yet been confirmed by the Israel DCL.
• 16 May: The IDF started bulldozing land for the preparation of the Barrier in Dahiyat al Barid – Ar Ram (Al Akbat neighbourhood) in Jerusalem.
• 14 May: Settlers from Ma'on Settlement burnt wheat harvest of 35 dunums belonging to a Palestinian from Am Tuba east of the settlement, southeast of Yatta, Hebron District.
• 17 May: 20 dunums of green houses planted with cucumber and tomatoes were levelled by IDF tanks and bulldozers in Orayba area in Khan Younis.
Sources: OCHA FCU
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1 4 dunums = 1 acre
6. Closure2/Restrictions on movement
Tulkarm/Qalqiliya governorates:
• The general movement across the checkpoints in the governorates of Tulkarm and Qalqilya has been relatively relaxed with no additional restrictions. In Salfit district, movement between the villages is still hampered by a variety of closures, blocking the main roads. No major incidents reported regarding the barrier gates apart from delays in the general opening hours.
• Flying checkpoints were established occasionally, but no major delays were reported. Tulkarm town was subject to IDF patrolling, mainly in the main entrances to the town, but no incursions occurred.
• Movement into Israel across the "Green Line", is still imposed despite the increase in the traders' permits number.
• Individual requests for green permits in Tulkarm governorate are still being collectively coordinated through the Palestinian DCL. The DCO office in Tulkarm only administers requests for magnetic cards on individual basis.
• "Green permits" with the Israeli Civil Administration logo, that were changed earlier from those designed for entry into the West Bank to those who are obtained to enter Israel (e.g. work and trade permits) are still being issued despite the Israeli DCL confirmation that the printing of these permits with this logo was a mistake and it will be rectified.
Nablus/Jenin/Tubas governorates:
• Major delays occurred at checkpoints around Nablus, especially students and young people.
• 12 May: new land levelling and observation towers are being constructed at Beit Iba check point.
• 12 May: Flying checkpoints were erected at the entrances of Ya'bad town after IDF had entered the town.
• 17 May: Flying checkpoints were established between Tubas and Al Fara'a Refugee Camp and between Tubas and Tamon village, after IDF had entered Tubas town conducting search campaign.
Ramallah/al-Bireh/Beituniya governorates:
• 16 May: IDF closed Qalandiya for two hours, preventing cars and pedestrians from access, which caused a long delay and massive crowd at the checkpoint.
Jerusalem/Jericho governorates:
• Numerous flying checkpoints were established around Jerusalem city due to high security alert. Long delays reported at checkpoints.
• Ongoing replacement of the fence with 8-meter concrete slabs barrier at Qalandia Airport few meters north to the checkpoint and along the Airport airfield and adjacent to the Palestinian houses.
• Construction of the Barrier is continuing in different sections from Khallet an Nu’man northwards near Har Hommah settlement, Ash Sheikh Sa’ad, Sur Baher, Sawahriya ash Sharqiya, Abu Dis and Al ‘Eizariya.
• The construction of the Barrier in Al ‘Eizariya east towards Mount of Olives near Beit Fagi monastery is moving rapidly and will close the remaining section of the passage from al ‘Eizariyah to the Mount of Olives.
• The construction of the Barrier opposite Al Quds University is moving rapidly.
• The construction of the Barrier ongoing opposite az Za'yem Checkpoint with land levelling east of the valley towards Ma’ale Adumim settlement.
• Land levelling for the construction of the Barrier in the north western villages of Biddu, Beit Duqqu, Bet Ijza, Al Qubeiba and Qatanna has continued throughout the week.
Bethlehem/Hebron governorates:
• 12 May: The IDF closed the entrance to Bani Na'im (Hebron District), from route 60 with an earth mound.
• 12 May: The IDF re-opened the gate into Halhoul at Sa'ir – Halhoul Junction on route 60, Hebron District.
• 12 May: The IDF erected a new gate (which has remained closed) on the slip road from route 35 to the Halhoul-Hebron bridge, Hebron District.
• 13 May: The IDF closed all the roads around Beit Awwa village, Hebron District. Partial access has now been established.
• 14 May: The IDF re-opened the Wadi Sa'ir rode on route 356, Hebron District.
• 15 May: After having their access route closed off by work on the Barrier, a court decision has allowed the villagers of An Nu'man (Bethlehem District) to use a dirt road to enter and exit their village.
• The number of valid permits for the Hebron national bus company is 34, of which 26 for public transport between Hebron and Bethlehem and 8 for movement between Hebron and Jericho. There have been no restrictions on the movement of buses since Gush Eitzion and Noqedim checkpoints were not manned and the Wadi Sa'ir earth mound removed. Only random checks took place at Efrat CP for the movement between the two districts. Buses headed to Jericho this week through Noqedim and "Container" checkpoints.
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• 12, 13 and 14 May: IDF divided the Gaza strip into 3 segments with closures at Abu Holi check point and the Beach road next to Netzarim settlement.
The enclosed areas in Gaza:
As-Seafa: Movement remains restricted by the IDF with the entry-exit gate opening twice daily for As-Seafa ID holders from 06:30 to 08:30 and 14.00 to 16.30. Motor vehicles are not allowed to enter since November 2000, with the exception of international agencies that have undertaken prior coordination with the IDF.
• Since 17 April: As-Seafa gate was closed; with additional movement restrictions imposed.
• Since 22 April IDF is allowing 3-4 people to go in and out, for one time only with prior coordination in order to bring food in.
• Since 29 April: IDF start to irregularly (open the gate not on time) allow the schools students to cross in and out, in addition to the 3-4 people mentioned above.
Al-Mawassi: IDF imposed restrictions remain, with the entry-exit gate at Tuffah checkpoint opening twice daily for Al Mawassi ID holders from 07.00 to 09.00 and 14.30 to 17.00. No passage is possible for male Al Mawassi ID holders aged 15-23 without prior coordination. Youths aged below 15 must be accompanied by a guardian. Motor vehicles are not allowed to enter, with the exception of international agencies that have undertaken prior coordination with the IDF.
• Tel Es-Sultan checkpoint was closed all week.
• Since May 2004, people aged below 30 years, required to have prior coordination to move through Al Toffah checkpoint.
Kfar Darom. The Palestinian area adjacent to Kfar Darom settlement was declared a Closed Military Zone following a suicide attack on 27 February 2004. Since 20/7/2002 no vehicular movement was allowed as the IDF erected a fence around the area. Movement restricted by the IDF with the entry-exit gate opening four times daily for Al Ma'ni ID holders from 06:30 to 07:30, 10:30 to 11:30, 13:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 17:00.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNSCO, UNRWA
• Tulkarm/Qalqiliya:
– The bus company that transports school children from the enclave of Alfe Menashe south of Qalqilya town (i.e. Wadi Ar Rasha, Ramadeen and Arab Abu Farda) to the schools in Habla, Ras Atiya and An Nabi Elyas reported delays at Jaljoulia checkpoint and the Habla gate. No delays were reported for the school children in Jbara in Tulkarm Governorate.
– 15 May: the gate at Azzun Atma was closed for approximately six hours from 11:00 a.m. delaying children from reaching their homes in Saniria and Beit Amin.
• Ramallah:
– 11 May: the IDF detained a 10 year old boy on the front of a military jeep, outside a primary school in Al Sharafeh neighbourhood in Ramallah. In Deir Ammar IDF took a 7 year old boy in a jeep as a deterrent while they were patrolling the village.
– 12 May: the IDF start shooting in the air around a government school in Abud, soldiers entered the school and forced the school principal to remove the Palestinian flag from the top of the building. The incident of harassing students and shooting around the school was reported on 13 and 17 May.
– 17 May: Silwad schools were closed due to the curfew.
• Bethlehem/Hebron:
– 13 May: The schools at Al Khadr village were closed due to curfew, Bethlehem District.
– 13 May: The schools at Nahhalin village were closed due to curfew, Bethlehem District.
• Gaza:
– 12 May: Due to IDF military operation in Gaza City, eight UNRWA schools did not function.
– 17 May: Due to the incursion into Tal As-Sultan area in Rafah, no UNRWA school or PA school was functioning.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA
8. Labour movement to Israel
• Tulkarm/Qalqilya: A total of 470 trade permits were issued during the week for Tulkarm and a total of 250 for Qalqilya. Still, no new or renewed work permits into Israel have been issued yet.
– 11,429 workers holding valid work permits were not allowed to cross into Israel due to the imposed closure on 22 March. Erez industrial estate was subsequently closed on 17 April and no Palestinian workers with valid permits could pass.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNSCO, PMG
• Since 12 May: the IDF has prevented Palestinian fishing boats from entering the sea.
• 13 May: IDF coast guard vessels opened random fire towards the Palestinian Naval forces in Soudania area west of Bait Lahia. No injuries were reported.
• 14 May: IDF coast guard vessels opened fire at the Palestinian fishermen who were repairing their fishing boats at the sea shore of Gaza City. No injuries were reported.
Appendix: Checkpoints Status 12 – 18 May2004
