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LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment is a non-governmental organisation dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. LAW is affiliate to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), FÈdÈration Internationale des Ligues de Droits de l'Homme (FIDH), World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and Member of the Euro- Mediterranean Human Rights Network.
LAW Weekly Roundup 26 April - 2 May 2001
10 Palestinians killed Israeli trespass of PA areas & demolition of 19 homes Tighter siege on residential areas and iron gates set on main routes Introduction: Sunday 29 April 2001 saw Israeli diplomatic moves to bring the 8-month-old uprising to an end, with Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peresí visits to the Egyptian and Jordanian leaders in their respective countries. Egyptian president Husni Mubarak announced that Peres had expressed desire to reach settlement and agreement between Israelis and Palestinians and bring an end to the violence. However, when Peres arrived in Tel Aviv he denied the announcement, claiming that there had been ëambiguity in translation.í Week 30 included yet more Israeli escalation against Palestinians, resulting in the deaths of another ten. Three of these died of gunshot wounds, two were killed during shelling and five died in ëmysterious circumstancesí when two large explosions shook Gaza and Ramallah within only 5 hours of each other. There have also been several Israeli military attempts to trespass PA-controlled areas, especially in the Gaza Strip, as well as the bulldozing of wide swathes of agricultural lands and the establishments upon them, which represent the only income for dozens of Palestinian families. Dozens more families have been made homeless with the ruthless demolition of their houses. The most severe bulldozing was performed by Israeli forces at dawn on Wednesday 2 May 2001, when their bulldozers trespassed PA-controlled areas in Al Shaíer and Brazil, south Rafah, Gaza, and demolished 9 residential houses in an operation similar to that on 14 April in the area surrounding Salah Al Deen Gate. In light of the political and information war being led by the Israeli government, Foreign Minister Peres has stated on more than one occasion that Israeli forces have lightened the siege imposed on Palestinian people in order to improve the living conditions of ordinary civilians. However these are empty claims, as in reality Israelís military siege is still in place over Palestinian residential areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and indeed in some areas is being tightened through the new method of setting iron gates at the main streets linking Palestinian cities, particularly in the West Bank. Israeli military forces also continued shelling residential areas and civil establishments with artillery, tanks and heavy ammunition. In addition, Israeli forces have continued arresting and maltreating Palestinian civilians in prisons within the Green Line. Following are the gravest violations committed by Israeli forces within the Palestinian Territories during the period 26 April ñ 2 May 2001: 1. Excessive use of armed force: During the period of this report, three Palestinian civilians were killed, away from flashpoints, by excessive Israeli force: 1. 45-year-old Atef Wahdan from Al Tufah quarter in Gaza. 2. 33-year-old Imad Qaraqeí from Aida refugee camp. 3. 45-year-old Adnan Odeh from Al Heeleh village in Qalqilya. At around 8:25am on Thursday 26 April, Israeli soldiers stationed at Gazaís south-eastern border opened fire at 45-year-old Atef Wahdan from Al Tufah in Gaza, hitting him in the head and killing him instantly. According to information gathered by LAW from the Gaza Strip, the victim was working in an orange grove belonging to the Zamo family. He went to bring some water from a place inside the garden, at which point he was shot in the head from a distance of 400m. No clashes were taking place at the time. At around 6:15pm that day, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a military car passing Qalandia ñ Givíat Zaíev Street west Qalandia, injuring Palestinian taxi-driver Zuheir Nasser in the left leg. Nasser, 40, from Safa village in Ramallah, stated that he was on his way home accompanied by three passengers from his village. After crossing Qalandia-Givíat Zaíev settlement route and taking a bypass route that leads to Safa and Beit Luqia, he stopped the car to go to the toilet. An Israeli military jeep was passing on its way to west Jerusalem. Suddenly, Nasser felt as if his left leg had been amputated; it was bleeding severely. When he tried to stand on it he fell on the ground and asked the passengers for help. They carried him into the taxi and took him to the Ramallah government hospital, where he underwent surgery on the severed major artery in his left leg. Later that evening, 34-year-old Mahmoud Madi from Al Sheikh Radwan was passing through Al Sheikh Ajleen area, near Al Jaíel Gas Station in south Gaza. Israeli forces stationed in Al Mighraqa area at a house belonging to Abu Khousa, which they have taken over, opened fire from a distance of 500m, hitting Madi in the right forearm. At 6:40am on Friday 27 April, Israeli forces opened fire from two military jeeps at 37-year-old Odeh Abu Rumiyeh from Qarara. He was taken to Suruka Hospital in Biír Al Sabeí for treatment. According to information gathered from Gaza by LAW, the victim was walking to his sisterís house. As he passed Martyrsí junction ñ Kosofeem Street, 200m from the Israeli outpost, two Israeli military jeeps approached him from both sides and soldiers fired ten bullets at him. The victim remained on the ground for ten minutes until an Israeli ambulance took him to Suruka Hospital in Bir Al Sabeí. Following Friday prayers, Palestinians in Ramallah organised a demonstration in Ramallah and Al Bireh to protest Israeli crimes within the Occupied Territories. At the northern checkpoint of Al Bireh clashes broke out near the City Inn Hotel. Israeli gunfire was opened at demonstrators, hitting three civilians and a Palestinian National Security Force member: … Muhammad Haleemah, 8, from Beitunya, shot in the upper left thigh. He is now in the intensive care unit of Ramallah Hospital. … Kamal Zidan, 52, from Bir Nabala in Ramallah, shot in the shoulder. … Muítaz Abu Eid, 17, from Badu village in Ramallah, shrapnel in the neck; 300m from the Israeli outpost. … Ashraf Al Qirnawi, 21, Palestinian National Security Force member, shot in the right shoulder. He was fired at by Israeli soldiers in military vehicles trespassing a few metres inside PA-controlled territories. At noon, clashes took place between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers positioned at Al Mintar (ëKarnií) crossing in east Gaza. Ten civilians were injured by Israeli gunfire: … Muhammad Al Nawajía, 13, from Gaza, shot in the right hand. … Muhammad Odeh, 13, from Gaza, shot in the right thigh. … Muhammad Kassab, 17, from Gaza, shot in the right thigh. … Muhammad Abu Seedo, 17, from Gaza, shot in the left thigh. … Ismaíil Al Hajleh, 13, from Gaza, shot in the left thigh. … Alaí Al Zaínoun, 18, from Gaza, shot in right eye and head. … Muhammad Ambar, 16, from Gaza, shot in the right shoulder. … Ibrahim Abu Shaíban, 13, from Gaza, shot in the left knee. … Maysar Abu Rayyaleh, 21, from Gaza, shot in the left knee. … Shadi Al Deeb, 10, from Al Maghazi, shot in the left thigh. At around 8pm on Saturday 28 April 2001, Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian civilian from Aida refugee camp, Imad Qaraqeí, seriously injuring his only child, 5-year-old Haitham, and his cousin, 27-year-old Ziyad Qaraqeí. According to information gathered by LAW, 33-year-old Imad was on his way from Bethlehem to Aida refugee camp in the company of his 6-months pregnant wife, 23-year-old Maysaí Qaraqeí, and his 5-year-old son Haitham, in a white Subaru with Palestinian registration driven by his cousin Ziyad. Imad was in the front seat beside the driver and his wife and child were in the back. The car crossed the Palestinian checkpoint and turned west towards Aida, north-west Bethlehem, but when it reached the Intercontinental Hotel Israeli soldiers stationed at the northern entrance to Bethlehem opened medium machinegun fire at the car from a distance of only 100 metres. Imad was hit with a bullet in the face and shrapnel in the chest and died instantly, Haitham was critically wounded in the left eye and the driver was hit in the chest and shoulder by shrapnel. Haitham was taken to Saint George Eye Hospital in Jerusalem for treatment. On Sunday 29 April during the Israeli bulldozing of Ibsan Al KaBira, east Khan Younis, civilians gathered and destroyed the wire border fences. Israeli soldiers responded with live gunfire, injuring four Palestinians: … Rami Abu Teir, 18, shot in the head (critical). … Bilal Baraka, 19, shot in the chest. … Subhi Al Khazzaz, 40, shot in the left leg. … Farid Arab, 21, shot in right hand. Late on Sunday 29 April, Israeli forces at Al Kafriyat checkpoint, south Tulkarem, hindered a Tulkarem government hospital ambulance that was carrying two injured men - Mihraj Shihada, 25 and Ghanem Ghanem, 28, both from Tulkarem refugee camp - to Rafidia Hospital, Nablus. They forced the driver to Al Taybeh checkpoint and arrested one of the injured men, despite his condition and the fact that his transferral to Rafidia had been coordinated by the Palestinian and Israeli military liaison offices. A LAW researcher from Tulkarem stated that at 10:15pm that day Israeli soldiers stationed at Al Kafriyat checkpoint had opened fire from a distance of 300m at a Palestinian civilian car that the two men were in, wounding them both. A taxi-driver took them to Tulkarem government hospital at around 10:30pm. Mihraj Shihada had been hit by gunfire in the right shoulder and Ghanem Ghanem had shrapnel wounds in the waist and hips. The head of Tulkarem hospital, Dr. Ahmad Abu Baker, stated that Mihraj Shihada had been admitted to his hospital suffering a bullet wound that had penetrated his right armpit and lung, severing several blood vessels and causing haemorrhaging in Mihrajís chest. Mihraj was having great difficulty breathing. After providing emergency first aid, the doctors decided to transfer him to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus by ambulance. At Al Kafriyat checkpoint, Israeli soldiers tried to arrest Mihraj but the driver refused to allow them to do so, so they forced him to Al Taybeh checkpoint west Tulkarem. Once the ambulance arrived there, an Israeli ambulance was waiting and transferred the wounded to Maíeer Hospital in Kfar Saba. In the early hours of Monday 30 April, Israeli soldiers shot and killed 45-year-old Adnan Odeh from Hibla village in Qalqilya, hitting him in the abdomen with a fragmenting bullet. According to LAWís information, at around 2:20am a large number of Israeli troops imposed a curfew around the houses of Odeh and his brothers and neighbours in Hibla village, Qalqilya, in order to arrest him. When he realised what was happening, he tried to escape towards Al Dabeí cave in the nearby village of Raís Atiyeh. The Israeli soldiers, including many Special Forces, chased him and opened fire at him, fatally wounding him in the abdomen. At around 2pm that day, Israeli forces stationed on the bypass route adjacent to Al Mintar crossing opened fire at Palestinian demonstrators, injuring two: … Raíed Al Zaharneh, 15, from Al Tufah quarter, shot in the right knee. … Muhammad Al Nakhaleh, 14, from Al Tufah quarter, shot in the thighs. At around 5am on Wednesday 2 May, Israeli forces stationed at Al Taybeh checkpoint, west Tulkarem, fired bullets and teargas canisters at Palestinian civilians trying to cross the Green line to reach their workplaces inside Israel. Fawwaz Samaínah, 22, a Tulkarem resident from Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, was shot in the right shoulder and taken to Tulkarem Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. Deaths in ëmysterious circumstancesí: On Monday 30 April, five Palestinian civilians were killed in mysterious circumstances, including two small children, a Ramallah Fatah activist and two boys from Gaza. They were: … Hamdi Al Madhoun, 18, from Gaza. … Muhammad Abu Khaled, 17, from Gaza. … Shaheed Barakat, 7, from Ramallah. … Malaak Barakat, 4, from Ramallah. … Hassan Al Qadi, 27, a Fatah activist from Beitunya. According to LAWís documentation, two large explosions shook Gaza and Ramallah that day, resulting in the total demolition of two houses, killing five and injuring many, as well as causing severe damage to nearby buildings (including the main office of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights). According to information from Gaza, at around 5pm there was an explosion in the house of Abu Khaled on Omar Al Mukhtar street, Al Minaí, destroying it completely. Two people were killed: 18 year-old Hamdi Al Madhoun and 17-year-old Muhammad Abu Khaled. Four others were injured: … 21 year-old Abdil Karim Al Madhoun, shrapnel wounds in various parts of the body (critical). … 10 ñyear-old next-door neighbour Khalil Afaneh, shrapnel in the head (very critical). … 48-year-old Afaf Abu Khaled, head wounds. … 4-year-old Aseel Afaneh, shrapnel wounds in various parts of the body. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights stated that its main office nearby was severely damaged, with serious cracks and holes in the walls, smashed windows on the first floor and the destruction of the electricity generator, satellite dish and electricity and telephone networks. According to eyewitnesses, two Israeli helicopters were hovering overhead, giving credence to the suspicion that the bomb was detonated by remote-control. Five hours later a violent explosion hit Ramallah inside a 2-storey building in Al Irsal Street, Ein Misbah, 200m from the district police headquarters. Two small children were killed: 7-year-old Shaheed Barakat and his sister, 4-year-old Malaak Barakat, as well as a Fateh activist, 27-year-old Hassan Al Qadi from Beitunya. 25-year-old Abeir Zayed, the mother of the two small children, was wounded and bruised in hear back and hands, and her other daughter, 5-year-old Waíd, suffered wounds and fractures in her face and right hand. Hassan Al Qadi, a Political Sciences student at Al Quds Open University, was ëwantedí by the Israeli army for his suspected involvement in the killing some months ago of a 16-year-old Israeli boy lured to Ramallah by the Internet. He was due to be married in the coming few days. 2. Shelling: Israeli forces continued shelling Palestinian residential areas, Palestinian National Security Forces and other Palestinian security apparatus posts. Two Palestinians were killed in the shelling, a 17-year-old civilian and a 57-year-old security agent. Dozens more Palestinians were injured by gunshot and artillery shrapnel, and many buildings were severely damaged. At around 8pm on Friday 27 April, Israeli forces stationed at Kfar Darom settlement, east of Deir Al Balah, shelled a Palestinian National Security Force post 20m north of the settlement, leading to: … The injury of 22-year-old Yousef Mushrif from Deir Al Balah (artillery shrapnel in the right thigh). … The injury of 50-year-old Khalil Basheer (shrapnel in the head and neck). His 180m¾ 3-storey house was hit by an artillery missile, which damaged its windows and bedroom. At around 9pm that day, Israeli forces stationed at the military camp east of Jabalia fired 3 artillery missiles at a Palestinian Security Forces outpost, injuring three: … 27-year-old Mahmoud Rizeq from Al Maghazi, shrapnel in the face. … 27-year-old Suleiman Abu Mandeel, shrapnel in the legs. … 50-year-old Iíbeid Abu Ariban, shrapnel in the chest, face and back. At around 11:30pm, Israeli forces stationed at the four military outposts at Al Tufah checkpoint and Neve Dakalim settlement shelled the Al Gharbi area of Khan Younis and the Austrian Housing Project with tanks and medium to heavy machinegun fire, causing severe damage to many houses. At around 8:50pm on Saturday 28 April, Israeli forces from the four outposts and the moveable tower at Neve Dakalim settlement and Al Tufah checkpoint shelled Khan Younis and residential buildings in the Austrian quarter with artillery and medium to heavy ammunition for 30 minutes. 12-year-old Hatem Al Bardaweel was hit in the left leg with artillery shrapnel in the yard of his home. The shelling began again from the same post at around 10pm, this time directed at Palestinian residential quarters. 45-year-old Ali Saqir was admitted to Al Shifa hospital in Gaza in a very critical condition after being shot while standing on the balcony of his house in Zaírab quarter, a kilometre away from the Israeli outpost. At 11pm, Israeli forces stationed inside Gani Tal settlement, north of Al Amal, fired three nail bombs at the Palestinian residential quarter in Khan Younis. One of the bombs landed on the home of Hassan Dababish, smashing his windows and water tanks (where water is heated by solar energy) and creating holes in the walls. The other two bombs landed near an ice cream factory, destroying a water tank and injuring 45-year- old Said Dahlan in the right shoulder. At 8:45 am on Sunday 29 April, Israeli forces fired four surface-to-surface missiles at Al Gharbi area of Khan Younis from Neve Dakalim settlement. The missiles hit and severely damaged three buildings belonging to: 1. Abdullah Abu Abida (five-storey building) 2. Adel Abu Abida (two-storey building) 3. Jihad Abu Looz (one-storey building) The shelling also injured 9-year-old Yousef Zuírub in the right leg. At midday, Israeli forces fired four more missiles at the same buildings, injuring 80-year-old Hasna Abu Mkhaimer and 9-year-old Mohammad Al Akad in the head. At 10pm Israeli troops in Kfar Darom, east of Deir Al Balah, shelled the Palestinian military intelligence installation, causing severe damage. At midnight on Monday 30 April, Israeli forces in Neve Dakalim and Gani Tal settlements shelled Palestinian houses in Khan Younis; some of the shells landed on Ahmad Abdul Azizí school and Nasser hospital. The following were injured: 1. Waíel Khalifa, 14, in the right leg 2. Majid Hnaidik, 21, in the back 3. Falasteen Hnaidik, 18, in the legs 4. Muwafak Al Kasas, 15, in the right arm 5. Hazim Abu Jaber, 26, in the right leg 6. Ibraheem Abu Jazar, 26, in the right leg 7. Ahmad Salem, 40, in the right leg The shells that landed on the school destroyed the library and one of the classrooms. The shelling also destroyed the homes of the following Palestinians: 1. Ahmad Nofalís 120 m¾ house (10 residents), smashed windows and holes in the walls 2. Said Abu Saidís 100 m¾ house (8 residents), smashed walls 3. Mustafa Kananís 200 m¾ house (10 residents), smashed walls 4. Mahmoud Shahinís 130 m¾ house (13 residents), smashed windows At around 3:00 pm on Tuesday 1 May, Israeli forces stationed around the City Inn hotel shelled Palestinian houses and the offices of the Ministry of Local Governance, as well as the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and the Palestinian News Agency WAFA in northern Al Bireh. The shelling caused extensive damage to the buildings and critically wounded 39-year-old Fadi Al Barghouthi from Kober, a member of the Palestinian National Security Forces. He was hit by shrapnel in the chest. At around 11:30 am Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers protected by Israeli tanks bulldozed Al Brazil quarter, south of Rafah. When people stood against the onslaught, Israeli forces responded by shelling the area, killing 57-year-old Major Mohammad Abu Jazar and wounding 37-year-old Rand Al Batsh in the chest. The shots were fired from close range. At Netsarim, Israeli troops shot at Palestinian youngsters and wounded 17-year-old Ziyad Al Batsh in the abdomen and 15-year-old Jarir Al Rawagh in the head. Jarir is in a critical condition. On Wednesday morning, 10 Israeli military jeeps, 20 tanks, 5 minesweepers and 10 bulldozers again invaded Al Brazil quarter, south of Rafah. The invasion was accompanied by heavy shelling of the area, killing 19-year-old Mahmoud Akil and wounding the following: 1. Adnan Al Ghariz, 39, in the left leg 2. Rana Al Ghariz, 15, in the right leg 3. Khaled Awaja, 29, in the left arm 4. Rifat Al Shair, 18, in the left leg 5. Nathmi Abu Khatla, 35, in the left arm 6. Imad Idwan, 35, in the left arm 7. Sadik Abu Taha, 23, in the face and neck 8. Rifat Al Ghariz, 23, in the neck 9. Said Al Ghariz, 9, in the right arm 10. Mahir Madi, 26, in the right shoulder 11. Munir Sadudi, 21, in different parts of the body 12. Bassam Al Arja, 31, in the head 13. Muntasir Mansoor, 31, in the back 3. Settler Attacks: In the morning of Friday 27 April, settlers from Kharsina settlement attacked 60-year-old Abdul Majid Sultan, a farmer from Hebron, and 40-year-old journalist Nayif Al Hashlamon who was filming the attacks. The attacks, carried out in the presence of Israeli soldiers, were aimed at confiscating 2,000 dunums of land of in Al Bwira, where on April 9 settlers had already confiscated a hilltop. On Friday evening, Israeli settlers, again with the protection of the military, attacked the Palestinian village of Haris in Salfeet, terrorising Palestinians and threatening to burn down their houses, while Israeli soldiers showered the village with teargas canisters. The next day the settlers returned, this time they assaulted Deborah Rider, an American journalist who was documenting their attack. On Sunday 29 April, settlers started a fire in the land of the Palestinian villages of Dir Istia and Qarawat Bani Hassan in Salfeet, burning fifty olive trees belonging to Suleiman Suleiman from Dir Istia. On Monday 30 April, settlers from Homish opened fire at the Palestinian village of Burka and an Israeli driver shot at Palestinian homes in Bazari, Nablus, and at an electricity generator, causing a power cut in the area. On Tuesday, a settler from Ali settlement shot 27-year-old Munir Abu Zahra and 27-year-old Ahmad Abu Taha in Al Liban Al Sharkiyi while the two Palestinians were driving home to Jerusalem from Nablus. Munir was shot in the legs and back and Ahmad was shot in the left arm and right leg. Settlers closed off the Ramallah-Nablus road on May 2 and attacked Palestinian vehicles with stones. 4. Demolition and bulldozing: On 27 April, Israeli forces bulldozed 23 dunums of cultivated land in Rafah and 15 dunums in Khan Younis belonging to Al Hashash, Abu Slima, Abu Daka, Al Najar and Tubasi. On Saturday 28 April, Israeli troops invaded PA-controlled areas and bulldozed 343 dunums of land belonging to the Abu Luly, Jaghoon and Muamar families. Israeli forces placed a huge sand barrier on the road west of Dugit settlement and bulldozed 41 dunums of Tafish land, as well as knocking down the home of Nasser Tafish. Israeli troops attacked Abasan Al Kabira and Abasan Al Jadida in Khan Younis, which is under PA control, bulldozing 700 dunums of land belonging to Abu Atra, Abu Daka, Abu Tyr, and Kadiía. On 30 April, Israeli troops bulldozed agricultural lands in Beit Hanoon belonging to Idwan, Al Yazji, Murtaja and Salah. On 1 May, they returned to bulldoze more land in the same area. On 2 May, 10 Israeli military jeeps, 20 tanks, 5 minesweepers and 10 bulldozers invaded Al Brazil and Al Shaíir quarters south of Rafah, knocking down homes, a National Security Force headquarters and four farms. The demolished properties belonged to: 1. Ibraheem Al Shaíer.100 m¾ house, 7 residents. 2. Ihab Al Shaíerí. 200 m¾ house, 8 residents. 3. Saleem Al Shaíerí. 200 m¾ house, 5 residents. 4. Sameer Al Shaíerí. 200 m¾ house, 8 residents. 5. Mahmoud Al Shaíerí. 200 m¾ house, 8 residents. 6. Fayiz Abu Hussein. 250 m¾ house, 31 residents. 7. Rasmi Awida. 250 m¾ house, 12 residents. 8. Ali Saidam. 250 m¾ house, 9 residents. 9. Jamal Al Akhras. 250 m¾ house, 9 residents. 10. Sayid Al Rantisi. 250 m¾ house. 11. Mohammad Al Hanadi. 250 m¾ house, 7 residents. 12. Labiba Awida. 250 m¾ house, 8 residents. 13. Abdul Rahman Al Sadudi. 250 m¾ house, 12 residents. 14. Mahmoud and Ziyad Arafat. 250 m¾ house, 8 residents. 15. Hassan Al Satri. 250 m¾ house, vacant since the start of the Intifada 16. Haider Abu Jazar. 250 m¾ house, vacant since the start of the Intifada. 17. Yusif Abu Jarad. 250 m¾ house, 4 residents. 18. Ibrahim Musaís wall and bedroom (vacant since the start of the Intifada) 19. A National Security Post near Al Nur mosque in Al Brazil quarter The demolished farms belonged to: 1. Sabri Al Shaíer (250 m¾) 2. Rafat Al Shaíer (250 m¾) 3. Ayman Al Shaíer (250 m¾) 4. Mahmoud Al Shaíer (250 m¾) 21 dunums of olive trees belonging to Al Shaíer family were also bulldozed. 5. Arrests: Israeli forces arrested Sali Hamid, a Fatah activist from Khan Younis, on 26 April while he was travelling to Egypt. On 27 April, they arrested Asad Ishtayi, 37, a Fatah secretary in Salem. According to LAWís documentation, Asad received a telephone call from an unknown person, who claimed to be at the Al Masakin Al Shabiya (Council flats) in Nablus and requested Asadís assistance as Fatah secretary. When Asad left town in his car, Israeli troops ambushed and arrested him, taking him to an unknown location. Asad, an auditor at the tax offices in Nablus, is married and has four children. The following Palestinian fishermen were arrested by Israeli forces on 28 April and taken to Ashdod: 1. Ahid Baker, 41. 2. Mahmoud Baker, 32. 3. Mohammad Baker, 35. 4. Mithkal Baker, 28. 5. Wisam Baker, 20. 6. Suhail Baker, 35. 7. Ramadan Baker, 26. 8. Ramzi Baker, 26. 37-year-old Hashim Abu Hassan from Arbuna, Jenin, who works for the Israeli human rights organisation BíTselem, was arrested on the same day. According to BíTselem, Abu Hassan was travelling to Nablus from Jenin when he was stopped at a checkpoint and found to be carrying testimonies from victims of Israeli violations. He was arrested and taken to Hiwara military outpost but released the next day following BíTselemís intervention. On 29 April, Israeli forces broke into Jalazone refugee camp and arrested 35-year-old Nasser Al Bayid and 26-year-old Ramzi Nayif, both members of the Palestinian intelligence services. The two men were taken to an unknown location. On 30 April, Israeli troops on the road to Nablus arrested lawyer Rida Malhas from Nablus while he was on his way to Jenin. His arrest has been extended for 22 days at Al Jalami prison. Malhas is married with one child. On May 1, Israeli forces arrested 24-year old Waíel Al Jaghub from Bita in Nablus at a checkpoint. They also arrested Marwan Hamidan, 35, from Habla in Qalqilya. Hamidan is a driving instructor, married, and has two children. 6. Siege: Israeli forces have maintained the tight siege over Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps all over the Palestinian territories in spite of the Israeli governmentís claims that it has been eased. The siege, which is a form of collective punishment, has been strongly criticised by the international community. In the past week, Israeli forces intensified their arbitrary measures and used them for political gain. The occupied part of Hebron where 40,000 Palestinians live was placed under curfew on 25 April. On 29 April, Israeli forces placed Baka Al Shrakiya in Tulkarem under curfew and on 30 April they did the same to Al Aroub refugee camp. The areas are still under curfew. On 27 April, Israeli troops installed a metal gate on the junction of Araba, south of Jenin, leading to Nablus and Tulkarem, as well as the villages around them. The Israeli troops stationed there carry out lengthy inspections and interrogations of Palestinians travelling in the area. This is the second gate placed on one of the main junctions of Jenin, the first was placed on the road linking Jenin, Al Jalami and Nazareth. On 29 April, Israeli soldiers put a fence on the bypass road linking Ganeem and Kadeem settlements. The six-kilometre-long fence isolates the Palestinian villages in the district of Jenin. On 1 May, Israeli soldiers installed a gate on the road leading to Baka Al Sharkiya and Nazlat Isa in Tulkarem district. Israeli troops also added more concrete blocks and sand barriers on the roads in the Palestinian territories as follows: 1. The junction of Al Bakiía, Abar Masoud and Al Nakab in the northern part of the Jordan Valley 2. The bypass road junction on Jenin ñ Nazareth road 3. Nablus-Jenin road 4. Surda-Ramallah road 5. Six new military outposts on bypass road #60 linking Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron.