Updates

Beating and Abuse

Suspicion: Soldiers beat, seriously wounded ‘Udai Abu Mariah, 31 July 2012

On the evening of 31 July 2012, soldiers stopped ‘Udai Abu Mariah, age 19, at the Beit Ummar checkpoint in the Hebron district, claiming he was wanted for questioning. Abu Mariah was taken by jeep to a nearby military base. The soldiers beat and abused Abu Mariah en route and after arrival, severely injuring him in the abdomen. Instead of being taken to receive medical treatment, however, Abu Mariah was abandoned for several hours, lying on the floor and moaning in pain, with soldiers periodically beating him again. During the night, soldiers finally took him back to the checkpoint and let him go.

4 September 2012

Agriculture

Susiya demolition orders not simply a law enforcement issue

In an op-ed first published in the Jerusalem Post, Eyal Hareuveni explains why the demolition orders issued by the Civil Administration in May for most of the village of Khirbet Susiya do not serve legitimate planning interests. Rather, they reflect the discriminatory planning regime that Israel imposed in Area C of the West Bank, where Israel has complete control. This regime threatens the continued existence of dozens of Area C Palestinian villages for which Israel has thwarted the preparation of master plans, while preventing the expansion and development of other Palestinian communities in this area.

29 August 2012

Agriculture

Firing zone 918: villages still in the crosshairs

On 19 July 2012 the State responded to the High Court petition by south Hebron hills residents against expulsion from their homes. For the first time, the state clarified the “operational necessity” for a live firing zone and reiterated its demand to expel most Palestinians from the area. The state’s response ignored the illegality of its actions under international law. Israel must cancel the south Hebron hills live firing zone declaration and allow residents to remain in their homes, work their land and herd their flocks.

27 August 2012

No Accountability

Disciplinary hearing for Border Police officer who kicked a nine year old boy

The Department for the Investigation of Police, in the Ministry of Justice (DIP) has informed B'Tselem that it decided to initiate disciplinary proceedings for "unlawful use of force" against a border police officer who was filmed kicking a nine year old Palestinian boy. The DIP decided not to file a criminal indictment against the officer. B'Tselem has written to the DIP to obtain the full investigation file to determine whether further steps are warranted.

27 August 2012

No Accountability

Reopen investigation into the killing of Majedah and Rayah Abu Hajaj in operation Cast Lead

Following the signing of a plea bargain with a soldier charged with manslaughter during operation Cast Lead, B'Tselem demands that the Military Police Investigation Unit (MPIU) reopen the file into the killing of Majedah and Rayah Abu Hajaj. If the military prosecution accepted the claim that there is no connection between the shooting he admitted to and the killing of the Palestinian mother and daughter, this means that the investigation into this incident was never completed. The MPIU must therefore solve the case and pursuant to the finding, hold accountable those responsible.

12 August 2012

Beating and Abuse

Video: A nighttime search at the home of a B'Tselem volunteer in Hebron

On the afternoon of 16 January 2012 B'Tselem video volunteer, Diaa al-Hadad, was detained for a few minutes and released in Hebron. That same night, a unit of soldiers commanded by a first lieutenant came to the family's house and conducted a search. During the search, they made Diaa stand against a wall for quite some time.Diaa and his father, 'Abd al-Karim Hadad, documented the incident with their cameras. B'Tselem does not know the reason for the search, but what is known is that the soldiers did not take anything from the house, and no one in the family was arrested.

8 August 2012

Beating and Abuse

Video and testimony: Officer head-butts youth in the face. Hebron, 25.7.2012

On Wednesday, 25 July 2012, a B’Tselem video volunteer filmed an Israeli officer head-butting 17-year-old Thair Ghanam in the head after an argument between the Palestinian youth and a soldier at a checkpoint. B’Tselem reported the incident and provided video documentation to the IDF Spokesperson’s office, and released the clip to the media. The next day, the Military Advocate General (MAG) announced that it had ordered the Military Police Investigative Division (MPIU) to open an inquiry into the incident.

5 August 2012

No Accountability

Appeal against the closing of investigation into beating of Silwan resident by Border Police officer

On 17 July 2012, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) filed an appeal with the State Attorney against the decision by the Department for the Investigation of Police (DIP) to close the investigation into a complaint by Silwan resident who was beaten by Border Police officers on 15 September 2011. In the appeal, ACRI argued that the DIP closed the case without pursuing all possible means to clarify the circumstances of the incident, and demanded that the State Attorney instruct the DIP to conduct a thorough investigation.

26 July 2012

Beating and Abuse

Video documentation: officer head-butts a Palestinian youth, Hebron

Yesterday evening, 25.7.2012, a volunteer in B'Tselem's camera distribution project documented from his window a soldier detaining a number of Palestinian youths at the military checkpoint near the Beit Hadassah settlement in Hebron. One of the youths argued with the soldier. Later the video shows an officer holding the youth and taking him by force up the street, then head-butting him, breaking his nose. B'Tselem reported the incident to the IDF spokesperson's office and the Military Police Investigative Division (MPID).

26 July 2012

The Gaza Strip

Hamas authorities execute three people in Gaza

On 17 July 2012, the Hamas authorities in Gaza executed three Palestinians condemned to death by Gaza courts. Since Hamas took over in Gaza, 33 people have been sentenced to death by its courts, and 13 people have been executed, including some who were sentenced to death before the Hamas takeover. B’Tselem condemns the use of capital punishment, which is immoral. The state may not violate a person's right to life as means of punishment, even for the purpose of law enforcement.

18 July 2012

Area C

A reminder: Some facts about the settlement of Ariel

In light of the intention to upgrade the Ariel academic center to a university, B'Tselem provides some examples of the way this settlement harms human rights: Located in the center of the West Bank, Ariel was built on land that served the residents of nearby Palestinian villages. Ariel's wastewater pollutes the water sources of the nearby Palestinian town Salfit. To allow Israeli settlers a smooth commute between Ariel and Israel, Palestinian villages in the region were cut off from their regional capital.

17 July 2012

Area C

Levy Committee Report: Where are the Palestinians?

On 9 July 2012, the media published the recommendations of a government-appointed committee on "steps to be taken to regularize construction" in the Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Given that the Levy Committee was founded explicitly to find ways of legalizing illegal acts, it is not surprising that its conclusions appear tailored to the settlement agenda. The report's conclusions have no basis in international law and almost completely ignore the people most hurt by the establishment of settlements, the two and a half million Palestinians of the West Bank.

11 July 2012

Beating and Abuse

Soldier delayed patient’s evacuation from Old City of Hebron, 8 May 2012

On 8 May 2012, a Red Crescent ambulance arrived at the Abu Haza’a home in the Old City of Hebron to evacuate Manal Abu Haza’a, mother of the family, who felt unwell and had fainted. The ambulance driver later testified that, as he prepared to evacuate the patient, a soldier approached and interfered, delaying the ambulance over an hour while the patient remained semi-conscious in the house. Eventually brought to the hospital, Abu Haza’a was diagnosed with a panic attack and released later that night.

8 July 2012

Beating and Abuse

Border Police in Hebron abused a schoolboy, ‘Abd a-Rahman Burqan, twice in one month

On 29 June 2012, a B’Tselem volunteer documented an assault on a 9-year-old boy, ’Abd a-Rahman Burqan, by Border Police officers in Hebron. B’Tselem also took testimony about an attack on ‘Abd a-Rahman on 3 June 2012, which was not documented on video. In the first incident, a Border Police officer allegedly chased ‘Abd a-Rahman and, after catching him, stepped on his hand and kicked him, then released him. B’Tselem contacted the Department for the Investigation of Police (DIP) on 1 July 2012 about that incident. A few hours later, B’Tselem received video documentation of the second incident. After the media publicized the video, the Department for the Investigation of Police notified B’Tselem that it would begin investigating both incidents.

4 July 2012

Beating and Abuse

Video documentation: Border Police officer kicks Palestinian child, Hebron

A B'Tselem video volunteer documented an Israeli Border Police officer kicking a Palestinian child while another officer held the boy. The incident took place on the 29th of June 2012 near the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in Hebron's H2 area. The video shows a Border Police officer ambushing a child from around the corner. As the child walks past, the officer grabs and drags him on the ground for a few seconds. A second Border Police officer then appears and kicks the boy.

2 July 2012

Beating and Abuse

Suspicion of abuse: Soldiers detained a 13-year-old boy and abandoned him at night, handcuffed

Testimony taken by B’Tselem indicates that during April 2012, soldiers arrested Muhammad a-Zir, age 13. According to the testimonies, the soldiers beat the boy during his first detention, during which he was interrogated without his parents present in contravention of the law regarding detention of youths. Following both subsequent detentions, the soldiers left him at night with his hands cuffed, somewhere unknown to him, and far away from his home. B’Tselem contacted the Military Police Investigations Unit (MPIU) demanding that it open an investigation into these incidents.

26 June 2012

Area C

The Israeli government’s “price tag” operation

On Wednesday, 20 June 2012, the Israeli government’s Ministerial Committee on Settlement Affairs approved an agreement to evacuate five buildings in Ulpana Hill, a neighborhood of the Beit El settlement. Following the approval, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the significance of the agreement is in “safeguarding the law.” The precise law to which the Prime Minister is referring, however, is unclear, and the agreement that was signed is not legal -- neither in light of High Court rulings nor under international law.

25 June 2012

Settlements

The writing is on the wall: Defense Minister must act to prevent next "Price Tag" incident

Five human rights organizations sent an urgent letter to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Judea and Samaria Police District Commander Amos Yaakov, and GOC Central Command General Nitzan Alon, demanding a preconceived and proactive approach to the possiblitly of violent activities carried out by extreme right-wing activists against Palestinians in the days leading up to the removal of five houses from Ulpana Hill in the settlement of Beit El.

25 June 2012

Beating and Abuse

Combat has rules too. Protect civilians from the hostilities

In light of the escalation in violence around the Gaza Strip, the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem has repeated its demand that all parties to the conflict take all feasible measures to protect civilians from the impact of the fighting.The rules of war obligate all parties to a conflict to do their utmost to prevent harm to civilians. Deliberate targeting of civilians is expressly prohibited.

23 June 2012

Beating and Abuse

Following B’Tselem’s documentation: Israeli army will stop using dogs to disperse demonstrations

On 15 June 2012, the Haaretz newspaper reported that, following a demonstrator’s injury in Kafr Qadum after an Israeli soldier set a dog on him, the army had decided to stop using dogs to disperse demonstrations in the West Bank. The Kafr Qadum incident was documented by a B’Tselem volunteer, and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel contacted the Judea and Samaria Division Command demanding that soldiers be reminded that they are forbidden to use dogs to attack civilians in general and demonstrators in particular.

18 June 2012

Agriculture

Civil Administration threatens to demolish a substantial part of Susiya village

On Tuesday, 12 June 2012, Israel’s Civil Administration distributed demolition orders to over 50 temporary structures in the Palestinian village of Susiya in the South Hebron Hills. Residents were given three days, until 15 June 2012, to appeal the orders through the Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning Council. Residents are planning to submit their opposition today (14 June 2012).If the demolition orders are carried out, this will be the third time that Israel has tried to expel the residents of Susiya from their lands.

14 June 2012

No Accountability

3 appeals submitted regarding closure of 3 investigations of police officers

B’Tselem recently learned of the decision by the Police Investigations Unit (PIU) to close the files on three cases dealing with complaints submitted to the unit. Acting on behalf of the complainants, B’Tselem obtained and examined copies of the case files and found investigative errors and omissions. In two of the cases, an appeal has been submitted to the State’s Attorney by Atty. Gabi Lasky on behalf of B’Tselem. The third case was passed on to the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which has also submitted an appeal.

6 June 2012

General

B'Tselem USA Examines 45 Years of Israeli Military Occupation

B'Tselem USA hosted Yael Dayan and David Broza yesterday at Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, in New York's West Village, for a discussion of the human rights concerns inevitable in a situation of prolonged occupation, reflecting on Israel's past and prospects for a secure and peaceful future.

5 June 2012