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 (18 – 24 August 2004)
INSIDEINSIDE: Casualties — Incidents involving ambulances — Curfew — House demolition/Demolition orders/People displaced — Land levelling/confiscation — Closures/restrictions on movement — Water — Labour movement to Israel — Other — Appendix
Palestinians: 7 deaths, 59 injured
Israelis: 0 death, 3 injured
Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, UNRWA, IDF website, Israeli MoFA
2. Incidents involving ambulances and medical teams
24 August: A PRCS mobile clinic was denied access at the barrier gate into Azzun Atma (Qalqiliya) due to lack of permit.
18-24 August: Ambulances and medical teams were frequently subjected to search and delays during the military operation in the old city of Nablus.
20 August: IDF caused extensive damage to one PRCS ambulance at the Al Ezariyeh entrance while on route from Ramallah city to PRCS' Emergency Medical Services Station in Jerusalem.
Denial of access: 1 incident
Delay (30 minutes – four hours): 2 incidents (Al Bireh, Nablus)
Shooting/Damage to Ambulance: 1 incident (noted above)
Curfews were reported in the following locations:
4. House demolitions/Demolition Orders/People Displaced
5. Land levelling/confiscation1
• 18 August: In Beit Iksa, northwest Jerusalem, the IDF told those present at that time that it was levelling Palestinian land to test the soil for the future construction of a railway that connects Jerusalem with Tel Aviv.
• 19 August: Inhabitants from El'azar settlement seized some 400 dunums (40 hectares) of agricultural land belonging to villagers from Al Khadr in Bethlehem.
• 19 August: The IDF uprooted 30 dunums (3 hectares) of agricultural land planted with olive and fruit trees in the area north of Abu El Ajeen and Wadi El Salqa east of Deir El Balah.
• 19 August: The IDF established a permanent position some 500m west of the Green Line in the Palestinian-controlled area of east Wadi As-Salqa in Dair Al Balah.
1 4 dunums = 1 acre
6. Closure2/Restrictions on movement
Tulkarm/Qalqiliya governorates:
• There were only a few temporary movement restrictions imposed on the local population. A number of military operations and search campaigns were conducted during the week in both Qalqilya and Tulkarm governorates as well as in Salfit district. During the week, Qalqiliya governorate saw an increase of flying checkpoints on the main road towards Tulkarm and in between villages in the southern part of the governorate.
• The preparation work for the Barrier construction in Ar Zawiya remains suspended following a decision from the Israeli High Court of Justice. Also, preparation work around Ariel is suspended pending new court decision.
Nablus/Jenin/Tubas governorates:
• Throughout the week, the situation remained tense in all governorates, particularly in Nablus where the largest military operation (in the area) since January 2004 took place. The operation in Nablus is still ongoing. The IDF entered Nablus city and the refugee camps several times and imposed curfews. Houses were subjected to search and occupation.
• 17 August: The barrier gates at Umm Ar Rihan and Barta'a in Jenin governorate were completely closed and a new terminal was opened on a new road near Imreiha village.
• 18 August: The IDF entered El Far'a refugee camp in Tubas and imposed curfew.
• 18-21 August: Flying checkpoints were established in all three governorates: in Tubas on the road leading to Tammun village, in Nablus on Road 57 near Al Aqrabaniya village and at the entrances of Jenin city.
• 19 August: Hajja Rashda school, near refugee camp number one, and Jamal Abdel Naser and Hawash schools in the old city of Nablus were used by the IDFs interrogation centres during the operation.
• 22 August: The IDF verbally informed Umm Ar Rihan village council that any expansion of the village school would lead to demolition.
• 24 August: The UNRWA school in Askar refugee camp in Nablus was used by the IDF as an interrogation centre.
Ramallah/al-Bireh/Beituniya governorates:
• 23 August: A flying checkpoint outside Ras Karkar village around 10am caused delays for several hours. The IDF also closed the Ramallah-Bir Zeit Road at Surda and An Nabi salih gate for several hours.
• There were a number of IDF search campaigns in the Ramallah area throughout the week, including in Silwad (18 August), Kharbatha Al Misbah (19-20 August), Deir Ghassaneh (20 August), and Turmus'ayya (22 August).
Jerusalem/Jericho governorates:
• Jericho remained closed during the week for Palestinians with West Bank IDs unless they held a special permit. Israelis and local residents of Jericho could move freely without a permit.
• 20 August: IDF restricted the access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers for men older than 45 years of age.
Jerusalem Envelope Barrier:
• East: Construction of the Barrier is ongoing in An Nu'man, Ash Sheikh Sa'ad, Sur Baher, Sawahriya Ash Sharqiya, Abu Dis and Al 'Eizariya. Construction is almost completed from Mt. of Olives to the hill south of Al Quds University in Abu Dis. There are still gaps from Mt. of Olives to Ras Al Kubsa and a 75m gap opposite Al Quds University.
• Northwest: Construction of the Barrier is still halted in Biddu, Beit Duqqu, Bet Ijza and Al Qubeiba. Construction is ongoing in Qatanna and Kharayib Umm Al Lahim.
• North: The road from Qalandiya checkpoint to 150m north of Al Ram checkpoint is now only open for traffic from south to north and only in the eastern lane only. In the middle of the road, the work has been suspended following a court order. A roundabout has been constructed south of Qalandiya checkpoint facilitating traffic from Ar Ram to Road 45 in direction east towards Jaba' and in direction west towards Atarot and Road 404 and Bir Nabala checkpoint.
• Northeast: Land levelling for the construction of the Barrier is ongoing north of Anata as well as west of Hizma.
Bethlehem/Hebron governorates:
• 19 August: The IDF closed the road leading into Janata village with an earthmound in Bethlehem governorate.
The enclosed areas in Gaza:
• As-Seafa: Movement remains restricted. The gate is open twice a day for As-Seafa ID holders between 6.30am and 8:30am and 2pm and 4pm, however the opening hours remain irregular. Vehicles have not been permitted to enter since November 2000, with the exception of international agencies that have undertaken prior coordination with the IDF. Since 17 April 2004, As-Seafa gate has been closed, with very restricted movement. Since 22 April 2004 the IDF has allowed only three to four people to go in and out, for one time only, with prior coordination, in order to bring food in. Since 3 June, people below the age of 30 are not permitted to enter or leave.
• Al-Mawassi: IDF restrictions remain, with the entry-exit gate at Al Tuffah checkpoint opening twice daily for Al Mawassi ID holders between 8am and 1pm and 2.30pm and 5pm. Since 10 May 2004, males below 30 years of age, are required to have prior coordination to move through Al Tuffah checkpoint. Since 06 June, prior coordination is required for unmarried females aged 18-25. Vehicles are not allowed to pass, with the exception of international agencies that have undertaken prior coordination with the IDF.The As-Sultan checkpoint remains closed.
• 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 July 2002 no vehicular movement has been 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 Maa'ni ID holders only from 6.30am to 7.30am, 10.30am to 11.30am, 1pm to 2pm, and 4pm to 5pm.
Sources: OCHA FCUs and UNRWA
• 15-22 August: Israeli settlers from Hallamish settlement closed the valve on the pipe that supplies water to five villages in the north Ramallah district, according to the Water and Sanitation Hygiene Monitoring Project (WaSH MP). An Nabi Salih, Beit Rima, Deir Ghassaneh, Kafr Ein, and Qarawat Bani Zeit, with an estimated population of 10,000 are supplied by water from the Israeli water company Merkorot's main pipeline inside the settlement. Settlers and soldiers prevented a Bani Zeit municipality maintenance team from reopening the valve. The workers were detained for several hours and their IDs and the valve key were confiscated. The Municipality then contacted Merkorot, whose technicians reopened the valve on 22 August. However, on the same day settlers again closed off the water supply to the villages.
8. Labour movement to Israel
West Bank:
The number of workers from Tulkarm with a valid permit to Israel currently stands at 1,258 and the number of traders is 850. A total of 117 applications for trader permits are currently in the approvals process. In Jericho, no work permits for Israel or in settlements were issued. The total number of trade permits in Jericho currently stands at 300.
Gaza:
• A total of 5,166 permits have been issued for workers and 226 permits for traders aged 35 and older, including 2,000 permits to stay overnight. However, only a couple of hundred workers and traders were actually allowed to enter.
Sources: OCHA FCU, UNSCO
18 August: An IDF soldier was lightly wounded when a road side bomb went off under a tank at Abu Safia area south of Beit Hanoun in Gaza.
18 August: Inhabitants from Avne Khefets settlement in Tulkarm governorate burned down more than 150 almond and olive trees belonging to villagers from Shufa and Kfur Labad, according to UNRWA.
19 August: An old unexploded ordinance suddenly exploded in Yabrud in Ramallah at around 11.30pm, injuring two children. One child lost a hand.
19 August: Several home-made rockets "Qassam" were fired from the Gaza strip northern areas of Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun towards the Israeli settlements and communities of Sederot and West Negev.
20 August: Israeli soldiers and police raided a print shop/book binders in Al Bireh at night and confiscated at least 3,000 books. The owner was accused of breaking copyright by reprinting an Israeli book without permission. However, many of the confiscated books are Palestinian school textbooks, which are now with the Israeli police in Jerusalem.
24 August: A full day commercial strike was observed throughout the West Bank.
Appendix: Checkpoints status 18 – 24 August 2004
