Beit-Sahour Blog

To enter the building, troops blew up several doors and chased the two men to the roof of the 7-story-buildin.  Troops opened fire at the two hitting Obayat in the head and in the body.  Obayat died on the spot.  Eyewitnesses said troops threw his body from the roof.

Other accounts said Obayat was captured alive and was shot at from a short range.   The other was wounded and the soldiers took him to an unknown destination.

Apparently troops moved, based on intelligence information, to the location were Obayat was staying.  He was claimed wanted by the Israeli security since few years and they were unable to find him.

In their first response, the Israeli military claimed that Bethlehem operation is aimed at foiling attacks Obayat was planning against Israeli targets.  A military spokesman described the assassination as "successful" saying that will dismantle the Palestinian resistance groups by force, especially in the West bank city of Nablus, which he described as, "the capital of terrorism."

On the other hand, the Aqsa-martyr brigade said in a press release that it will respond to the assassination and will attack several targets in retaliation.  The press release also called for a general strike to mourn Obayat.

After a seasonal rainstorm Saturday night, many Palestinian areas have experienced extensive flooding due to the Annexation Wall constructed by Israel that has blocked water drainage.

Iad Salamah Rabi'a, 29, was killed and his brother Ra'ed Rabe'a, 40, was injured when both were carried away by floodwater in the village of Kherbitha near Ramallah.

The rainwater also flooded hundreds of acres of Palestinian farmland in the village of Wadi Beit Omin, south of Qalqilia in the northern West Bank.

The Israeli Annexation Wall acted as a 'dam', blocking water from draining, as the walls are made of concrete, without drainage.

Since 2002, environmental groups and municipal authorities have warned about the problem of drainage caused by the Wall, which has previously caused sewage to backup onto people's homes in the city of Qalqilia.

Eyewitnesses said that citizens of Kherbitha village called the Palestinian Police to ask them to contact the Israeli side to open water passages in the area to avoid more losses in their fields which were covered by the water.

After a shutdown of the Israeli cities of Beit She'an and Afula due to 'intelligence' that the two cities may be targeted for an attack by Palestinian resistance, Israeli police ended up arresting two Palestinians who had crossed the border looking for work.

Initial reports by Israeli police said that the two might be Palestinian resistance fighters, but after intense interrogation all afternoon on Sunday, the Police were forced to admit that they had been mistaken, and that the two Palestinians were simply seeking employment.

Unemployment rates have skyrocketed in Palestine since the outbreak of the current open conflict in 2000, reaching 80-90% in some areas of the Palestinian Occupied Territories.  Much of this is due to the fact that many Palestinians worked in Israel prior to 2000, and have been unable to reach their jobs to to ongoing Israeli border closures.

Meanwhile, Israeli police have been on 'alert' all day Sunday in the areas of Beit She'an and Afula, in northern Israel.

Rescue crews were on the highest alert possible in the area for fear of an attack, rescue services spokesman Yeruham Mendola said.  One hundred ambulances and dozens of medics were also on alert, he said.

Police fanned out across the area, and officers were stationed at schools in Beit She'an and Afula, the officials said on condition of anonymity because the operation was in progress.

But the massive operation resulted in the arrests of only two workers, and apparently the 'intelligence' regarding a possible attack was incorrect.

Ten Palestinian detainees in the Negev Detention Facility after being attacked by Israeli soldiers who intended to move a transfer hundreds of detainees to other detention facilities. At least thirty detainees were confined to solitary.


The clashes erupted after hundreds of soldiers, wearing armors and carrying clubs, broke into several branched in the facility  after the prison administration informed the representatives of the detainees that it intends to transfer 250 detainees to other prisons.

Soldiers initiated their attack in sections B1, B2. C1 and C2, and attacked the detainees  with batons. The detainees responded by throwing pieces of soap and other available materials at the soldiers who fired rubber-coated bullets and gas bombs.

Three detainees were injured by rubber-coated bullets, and seven were hurt after inhaling gas fired by the army and after being struck with batons.

Following the attack, soldiers transferred 250 detainees to other facilities in the north of the country.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported that thirty detainees were confined to solitary after the prison administration claimed that they incited the detainees to escalate the situation.

All of the detainees at the Negev detention facility (2400 detainees) announced hunger strike for one day on Sunday.
    
The PPS stated that the detainees will decide the upcoming steps, which might include an extended hunger strike, in the coming days especially after the Prison Administration revealed its intentions to transfer additional 250 detainees to other prisons in the coming period.

Soldiers cut the power and water supply provided to the detainees and confiscated electrical equipments.

Also, soldiers evacuated 360 detainees and removed their tents, and removed the tens, then transferred them back to their branches forcing them to reinstall their tents.

Wasfy Qabha, the Palestinian Minister of Detainees at the Palestinian Authority, described the attack as an aggression that contradicts with the international agreements  and human rights protocols.

Qabha added that this aggression proves that the detainees are living in contestant harassment, threat of violence and subjected to continuous violations and attacks.   

Palestinian Legislator, Issa Qaraqe' (Fateh movement), said that the attack is considered a planned violation against the detainees especially since they resemble the steadfastness and the determination of the Palestinian people.  

Also, Mohammad Bsharat, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Society,said that this attack is part of the Israeli policy that aims to humiliate the detainees and crush their steadfastness.

A Palestinian medical source in Alia governmental hospital in Hebron, south of the West Bank, reported on Sunday evening that one Palestinian resident was suffered fractures, concussions and bruises to several parts of his body after soldiers clubbed and punched him in Arab Al Ramadeen area, south of Hebron.

 The source stated that Tamer Awni Al Haimouni, 25, suffered fractures in his leg in addition to concussions to several parts of his body after the soldiers attacked him as he was heading to work in Be'er Shiva Israeli town, south of the country.

Also, Israeli soldiers and police chased and detained dozens of Palestinian workers from Hebron while they were heading to their work in Be'er Shiva.

In this week's report on Israeli human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights revealed a number of violations of international law by Israeli forces, including attacks on peaceful protests, killing of unarmed civilians, including a child, and the announcement by new Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert that Israel will go ahead with a plan to take 20% of the remaining Palestinian land and surround the rest with a Wall.
Weekly report on Israeli human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories 23 - 29 Mar 2006:
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Continue Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT)

    * 5 Palestinians, including a child, were killed by IOF.

    * An extra-judicial judicial execution carried out by IOF failed.

    * 18 Palestinians were wounded by IOF gunfire.

    * IOF continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip.

    * IOF conducted 27 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank.

    * 44 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children, were arrested by IOF.

    * 6 houses were transformed by IOF into military sites.

    * IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; Qalandya checkpoint has been transformed into a border crossing between the West Bank and Israel; IOF have continued to closed Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing in the Gaza Strip; and IOF arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children, at checkpoints in the West Bank.

    * IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall in the West Bank; IOF resumed the construction of the Wall in the Dahiat al-Barid area to the north of Jerusalem; IOF confiscated 80 dunums[1] of land in Bethlehem; and IOF used forced against peaceful demonstrations organized against the construction of the Wall.

    * Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the OPT; 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were injured; and Israeli settlers uprooted at least 400 olive trees in Yatta village near Hebron.


Summary

Following his party's victory in the Israeli elections held on 28 March 2006, Ehud Olmert stated that he would impose the borders of the State of Israel according to the route of the Annexation Wall, in violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949. This statement proves that the construction of the Wall has a political rather than a security aim, as claimed by Israel. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 to fulfill their moral and legal obligations to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

Israeli violations of international law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (23 -- 29 March 2006):

Killing: During the reported period, IOF killed 5 Palestinians, including a child. On 23 March 2006, IOF killed two militants from the Palestinian resistance near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. On 25 March 2006, IOF shot dead a Palestinian child near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, when he attempted to enter Israel to search for a job. On 27 March 2006, IOF killed a militant from the Palestinian resistance near the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. On the same day, IOF killed a Palestinian civilian in al-Yamoun village, southwest of Jenin. They claimed that he had fired at them but in fact he was unarmed at the time.

During the reported period, 18 Palestinian civilians were wounded by the IOF gunfire.

Incursions: IOF conducted 27 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During these incursions, IOF raided houses and arrested 44 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. In addition, IOF transformed 6 others into military sites. IOF used undercover units and trained dogs during these incursions.

Restrictions on Movement: IOF have continued to impose a comprehensive siege on the OPT, in violation of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Palestinian civilians.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on the Gaza Strip, transforming it into a large prison. During the reported period, IOF partially reopened al-Mentar (Karni) commercial crossing, east of Gaza City, but only under strict restrictions. The Gaza Strip had suffered from a severe economic crisis for weeks prior to this temporary and partial reopening. On 28 March 2006, IOF imposed a total closure on the Gaza Strip and closed all border crossings between it and Israel.

IOF have continued to impose a tightened siege on Palestinian communities in the West Bank and have imposed additional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the area. On Monday morning, 27 March 2006, IOF declared the transformation of Qalandya checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem into a border crossing. Only residents of Jerusalem, who have Israeli identity cards, and residents of the West Bank, who have permits to enter Jerusalem, will be allowed to pass through the "crossing". Although IOF postponed the operation of the checkpoint as a border crossing, they have continued to conduct prolonged and complicated electronic searches on Palestinian civilians. They have continued to humiliate and insult civilians.

During the reported period, IOF positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank arrested 7 Palestinian civilians, including two children.

Annexation Wall: IOF have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside the West Bank. During the reported period, IOF continued to level land near the entrance to Dahiat al-Barid area, north of Jerusalem, in order to construct a new section of the Wall in the area. They removed cement blocks surrounding a checkpoint in the area. By completing the construction of this new section of the Wall, all entrances to Dahiat al-Barid area and al-Ram village will be closed. In the meantime, on Monday morning 27 March 2006, IOF declared the operation of Qalandya checkpoint, south of Ramallah, as a border crossing between the West Bank and Jerusalem. Qalandya checkpoint separates Ramallah and Jerusalem. It was transformed into a border crossing in the context of Israeli efforts to Judaize Jerusalem and separate it from the West Bank. IOF razed areas of Palestinian agricultural land near "Ennab" settlement, east of Tulkarm, to establish a separation fence around the settlement. According to eyewitnesses, IOF established a road, which is 30 meters wide, around the settlement in preparation for building the fence. During the reported period, IOF resumed the construction of the separating fence around "Shavi Shomron" settlement. On 26 March 2006, IOF issued a military order to confiscate 80 dunums of land belonging to Palestinian civilians, for the purpose of constructing a section of the Wall near "Gili" settlement. In addition, IOF used force to disperse peaceful demonstrations organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli peace activists in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bal'ein and Beit Siera villages, west of Ramallah. Seven Palestinian civilians were wounded by rubber-coated metal bullets and others suffered from tear gas inhalation. IOF also arrested 3 Palestinian civilians and 4 Israeli solidarity activists.

Illegal Settler Activities: Israeli settlers in breach of international humanitarian law continue to reside in the OPT and have launched a series of attacks against Palestinian civilians and property. During the reported period, 5 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children, were injured in attacks made by Israeli settlers. The settlers also uprooted at least 400 olives trees and damaged a number of houses.