Press Release To EsinIslam from Dr. Saeb Erakat: Six-Month Summary of Israeli Activity

15 March 2011

By Dr. Saeb Erakat

Six-Month Summary of Israeli Activity, 01 September 2010 – 28 February 2011[1]

Focus on February 2011 

1. Deaths

In February 2011, the Israeli military killed seven Palestinians, including six in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip. Among those killed were two armed Palestinian individuals. Israeli settlers also killed a civilian with sharp tools.

2. Injuries

A total of 79 injuries were reported in the month of February 2011 (34 Palestinians in the West Bank and 45 in the Gaza Strip). These included 16 children; three female civilians; a journalist; and eight armed Palestinian individuals. Injured children included an infant baby girl as well as a boy and girl run over by Israeli settler vehicles. Israeli settlers also injured three civilians.

3. Arrests 

During the month of February 2011, the Israeli military arrested 260 Palestinians (259 in the West Bank and one in the Gaza Strip). The majority of arrests took place in the districts of Hebron (65), Jerusalem (37), and Ramallah (25). Among those arrested by the Israeli military were: 45 children; three university students; and four Palestinian security officers.

4. Settlement Activity

During the month of February 2011, eight incidents of settlement activity were reported to have taken place in the West Bank. 

The Israeli authorities approved construction of 124 housing units in two settlements as well as two buildings, comprising 13 housing units, in Ash Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem. The Israeli military began construction of a wall around Maskiyyot settlement in the Northern Jordan Valley area in Tubas district. In Salfit, the Israeli military levelled approximately 12 dunums of civilian land near Revava settlement in Deir Istiya town as well as land containing archaeological artefacts in Kafr ad Dik town. In Qalqiliya, the Israeli military levelled farmland in Beit Amin village and near Emanuel settlement in Immatin village. In addition to confiscating approximately 600 dunums of agricultural land in Beit Ummar town in Hebron district, the Israeli military seized 100 square metres of land in Saffa village in Ramallah district for construction of a military installation as well as an unspecified area of land in Wadi an Nis village in Bethlehem district for construction of a Jewish religious school.

5. Settler Violence

Israeli settlers carried out 78 acts of violence in West Bank districts during February 2011.  

In Jerusalem, Israeli settlers killed with sharp tools a civilian and injured another. Settlers also beat a shepherd near Ma’ale Mikhmas settlement. In Ramallah, an settler vehicle ran over a three-year-old child near Al Lubban al Gharbi village. Settlers threw stones at civilian vehicles near Um Safa village, near the ‘Court’ checkpoint north of El Bireh city, and near Halamish settlement. Settlers raided Turmus’ayya town; gained access to a water spring near Dura al Qar’ village; and sprayed chemicals on and destroyed wheat crops near Al Mughayyir village. In Jenin, settlers gained access to the evacuated settlements of Homesh and Sanur and threw stones at civilian vehicles travelling along the Jenin-Nablus main road. In Tubas, settlers attacked a civilian house in the Northern Jordan Valley area and severely beat a female civilian. In Tulkarem, settlers prevented civilian vehicles from travelling along the junction to Beit Lid town on the Tulkarem-Nablus main road. In Qalqiliya, settlers stoned civilian vehicles travelling along the Qalqiliya-Nablus main road, breaking a vehicle’s windshield and injuring the driver. Settlers raided Jit village, painted the Star of David on house walls, and damaged wheel tyres of a number of civilian vehicles. Settlers also denied access to concrete mixers to a house under construction in Immatin village and cut down a number of olive trees on civilian land in Jinsafut village. In an attempt to seize control of civilian land east of Immatin village, settlers installed caravans and erected tents. In Nablus, settlers opened fire on and injured a civilian while he was working on his land near Jalud village. On five occasions, settlers raided Burin village, set fire to three civilian vehicles, attempted to burn a civilian house, threw stones at civilian houses, and severely beat two civilians. Settlers raided Sabastiya village and attempted to gain entry into a public park. In addition to raiding Huwwara town, settlers set a civilian house on fire, caused damage to a swimming pool, broke window glass of a house, threw stones at civilian vehicles travelling near the junction to Yitzhar settlement and at the entrance to Beit Furik town. Settlers uprooted approximately 25 olive trees in ‘Urif village as well as approximately 250 olive trees in Qusra and Duma villages; set fire to a bulldozer near the junction to Burin village; gained access to a water spring in Yanun village as well as to agricultural land in Osarin village; closed the junction to Yitzhar settlement and denied access to civilian vehicles; and levelled a detour road leading to farmland in Salem village. In Salfit, settlers raided Salfit city and Kifl Haris town; gained access to land belonging to Yasuf village; and uprooted olive seedlings in Wadi Qana area in Deir Istiya town. In Bethlehem, settlers discharged wastewater from Beitar ‘Ilit settlement, flooding a large area of land cultivated with fruit-bearing trees in Nahhalin village.  

In Hebron, settler vehicles ran over a 6-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl in the old city of Hebron and near the junction to Beit ‘Einun village, leaving both with injuries, bone fractures, and contusions. While attacking three houses in the As Sahla area in the old city of Hebron, settlers severely beat a civilian and denied access to a Palestinian ambulance to transport him to hospital. Settlers impeded access to a motorcade of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hebron Governor in an attempt to prevent them from making a field visit to monitor the situation and civilians’ suffering in the old city of Hebron. In addition to stoning civilian houses in Tal Rumeida neighbourhood, settlers threw stones and garbage at civilians walking along Ash Shalala Street in the old city of Hebron. Settlers also threw stones at civilian houses in Um al Kheir village east of Yatta town as well as at civilian vehicles near Beit Ummar town, injuring two civilians. On two occasions, settlers gained access to Al Buweira area near Harsina settlement east of Hebron city and threw stones at a civilian house. In addition to attacking a civilian house and damaging a commercial premise in Tal Rumeida neighbourhood in the old city of Hebron, settlers gained access on two occasions to a piece of land belonging to Firyal Abu Heikal, a female civilian. Settlers gathered near a cemetery in Beit Ummar town and gained access to Khirbet Jamrura area near Tarqumiya town and to Bir al Qos area in Beit Ula town. Settlers gained entry into a piece of land belonging to the Hebron Municipality near Harsina settlement east of Hebron city, destroyed electricity and telephone posts, and threw stones at civilian passers-by. Settlers also gained access to civilian land near Safa village; raided a civilian houses in As Sahla area in the old city of Hebron; cut down olive trees near At Tuwani village east of Yatta town and in Tal Rumeida neighbourhood in the old city of Hebron; uprooted approximately 250 olive seedlings on civilian land in Khirbet Safa village; and attempted to set fire to a civilian house in Tal Rumeida neighbourhood in the old city of Hebron.  

 Sample of Israeli Army Killings and Injuries, February 2011

¡        01 February: Israeli settlers opened fire on civilians near Khirbet Safa village in Hebron district, killing a child and injuring a civilian.

¡        05 February: The Israeli military opened fire on a number of Palestinian workers east of Gaza city, injuring two workers.

¡        08 February: Confrontations took place between the Israeli military and civilians in Khirbet Safa village and Beit Ummar town in Hebron district, during which Israeli troops opened fire and injured a child.

¡        11 February: Israeli settlers stabbed two civilians with sharp tools in Jerusalem city, killing one and leaving the other with injuries and contusions.

¡        15 February: Israeli settlers opened fire on and wounded a civilian, while he was working on his land in Jalud village in Nablus district.

¡        17 February: The Israeli military, including a combat helicopter, opened machinegun fire on three civilians near the border fence northwest of Beit Lahiya town in Northern Gaza district. All three civilians were killed.

¡        18 February: A mass demonstration, including international and Israeli peace activists, took place in Bil’in village in Ramallah district in protest against Wall construction. Confrontations took place between the Israeli military and protestors, during which Israeli troops wounded five civilians, including a child.

¡        28 February: The Israeli military opened fire on Palestinian workers in the northwestern Northern Gaza district, killing a worker.

[1] This summary is compiled from Monthly Summary Reports of the Palestinian Monitoring Group (PMG). The PMG Monthly Summary Report is compiled from PMG Daily Situation Reports, which are a survey of daily events collated from information provided by Palestinian Authority civilian ministries and security agencies. The information reported through the PMG process only represents data available at the time of distribution.  For PMG reports, please visit http://www.nad-plo.org.

* Dr. Saeb Erakat one of the prominent faces of Palestinian struggles and Chief PLO negotiator & Fatah Central Committee member posted this article Nov 2010 and there has been some delays in making it available on EsinIslam.Com.  However, following Mr. Erakat's direct contact with EsinIslam.Com articles of the Palestinian leader such as this can now be assessed at this portal.

©  EsinIslam.Com

Add Comments