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Appendix 1 to IWPS 3rd Annual ReportIWPS Human Rights Annual Summary – July 2004-June 2005IWPS-Palestine is continuing to document human rights abuses that are brought to their attention and to work with other human rights organizations. A database of these abuses is kept and quarterly summary reports and an annual summary report are compiled. In the year July 2004 to June 2005, IWPS compiled reports on 66 human rights violations in 20 villages. The most frequently documented were military incursions and raids (generally involving multiple violations), detention of civilians, and settler violence against persons and property. The most serious violations, however, included two killings; detention and denial of medical treatment to a seriously ill person; and demolition of homes. Human Rights in Palestine The basic and fundamental human rights of the Palestinian People have been both directly violated by the state of Israel and the basic protection promised to Palestinian civilians under the Geneva conventions have been denied. Israel, as the occupying power, has undertaken obligations to ensure the protection of the civilian peoples living under Israel’s occupation under the Geneva Conventions. The state of Israel has ignored these obligations, which they voluntarily accepted, and the continuing abuses constitute Grave Breaches under the Geneva Conventions. Despite having signed and ratified a multitude of human rights treaties —including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR), International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) — the state of Israel has in reality not respected these treaties and has both committed grave human rights offences and has not fulfilled its obligation as an occupying power to protect the civilian population from abuses of human rights. Furthermore, the construction of the Apartheid Wall has been condemned by the International Court of Justice which has judged that it is an illegal barrier and has said that reparations must be made to the Palestinian people who have suffered as a consequence of the Wall. Furthermore, the Wall is considered to be an illegal barrier by the United Nations General Assembly (GA Resolution A/ES-10/14). Additionally, the deportation and harassment of Human Rights Workers and persecution of journalists has seriously inhibited the documentation and publication of human rights abuses. This persistent and grave disregard for human rights has led to international condemnation of Israel’s human rights record. This is IWPS’ annual summary of violations in the Salfit area, in which IWPS operates. This report covers the time period from 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005. During this period the IWPS compiled 65 reports on human rights violations in 20 villages. Many of these reports document multiple violations; for example, military raids. IWPS does not attempt comprehensive documentation, and these are likely to be only a tiny proportion of the violations taking place in the area during that period. In addition to the incidents summarised below, the apartheid wall involves violations of all forms of human rights. The highest number of incidents reported are from Haris and its neighbouring
villages - this is a reflection of the fact that IWPS-Palestine is based in
Haris and therefore that more of the incidents happening in Haris are investigated
and reported. In fact, Haris is not the most seriously abused village by any
means. The reports made are more a reflection of where IWPS has the most contacts
and therefore from whom they receive the most calls asking them to witness and
document. Although this report does not include July 2005, there was in that month a sharp increase in serious human rights abuses in Salfit with the re-imposition of targeted assassinations by the Israeli State. Summaries of human rights violation documented are given below under the following categories: Killings by IDF, Denial of medical treatment, Injuries, Settler Violence, House Demolition, Incursions by IDF, Detention, Movement Restrictions and Property Destruction. (Numbers refer to the relevant IWPS Human Rights Report). Summary IWPS recorded violations in 20 villages and towns throughout the region. The greatest number of violations we heard about occurred (15) in Haris. Other villages with high levels of human rights violations were Marda (12), Qarawat Bani Zeid (7) and Yasouf (5). The number of violations in each category is shown in the table below: the number of individuals affected is much higher (see relevant report). Human rights violations recorded by IWPS 2004-05 Killings 3 Killings 12 January 2005, Qarawat Bani Zeid: Two men shot dead by army (176) Denial of medical treatment 21 April 2005 onwards: man suffering from meningitis detained at Huwara checkpoint, denied food, water or medical treatment in detention camp (191). Injuries by IDF August 19 2004, Qarawat Bani Zeid: boy shot in leg during army raid (144) Settler violence July 4 2004, Yasouf: settlers burned down c. 150 olive trees (131) House demolition August 4 2004, Azzun Atma: houses, Bedouin tents (141) IDF incursions (Most of these took place at night and included use of percussion grenades, house raids, beatings, detentions and property damage). Haris: July 25, August 16, September 1, September 3, September
7, September 9, September 10, September 17 2004 (137, 142, 147, 149, 151, 152,
153, 154) Detention July 30 2004, Az Zawiya: man detained during night raid (138) Movement Restrictions July 14 2004 checkpoint near Az Zawiya (134) Property destruction July 22 2004, Marda: c. 10 olive trees (136) |
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