Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) - Country of Concern: latest updates 30 June 2014
Updated 21 January 2015
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The human rights situation in Israel and the OPTs from April-June 2014 has deteriorated since the previous quarter.
Israel
There has been an increase in the number of attacks perpetuated against Arab-Israeli communities in Israel. These include racist graffiti, vandalism of mosques, churches and cemeteries, and violent attacks against Arab citizens and their property. There have also been attacks against synagogues. The UK welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s public condemnation of these hate crimes and our officials in Tel Aviv continue to urge the Israeli authorities, including the Israeli Border Police and Cabinet Secretary, to ensure prosecution of those responsible.
The West Bank, including East Jerusalem
Three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped in the West Bank on 13 June. On 14 June, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) launched Operation Brother’s Keeper to locate them. The Foreign Secretary condemned the kidnaps on 15 June, urging both sides against an escalation. By 26 June, the Israeli operation had led to over 400 Palestinian arrests and more than 1,000 raids, as well as a significant increase in movement and access restrictions in the OPTs. A large number of those arrested were placed in administrative detention, bringing the number of Palestinians in administrative detention from 192 at the beginning of April to over 340 by 23 June, according to Palestinian NGO Addameer; the highest number since 2009. The bodies of the three Israelis were found near Hebron on 30 June. The Prime Minister issued a statement expressing his condolences, as did the Foreign Secretary.
The widescale Israeli military operation triggered a number of violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces, and resulted in the deaths of six Palestinians in the West Bank, including two children. In a statement on 23 June the Foreign Secretary expressed his concern over the deaths and highlighted the importance of proportionate use of force in military operations.
A total of nine Palestinians were killed by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) between 1 April and 25 June, including two Palestinian youths shot outside of Ofer prison in clashes during protests on 15 May, and over 700 were injured. EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah expressed concern over the two deaths near Ofer prison. An Israeli investigation has been opened. UK officials in Tel Aviv also registered UK concerns about Israeli use of appropriate force with the IDF and the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD), including in a letter from our Ambassador to the Israeli MoD urging that swift and appropriate action be taken against those responsible. A total of four Israelis were killed (in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza) during the reporting period. The Israeli security services also reported an increase in kidnap attempts, stone throwing and the throwing of Molotov cocktails.
On 6 April, Israel authorised the reclassification of almost one square kilometre of land in the West Bank as Israeli state land, a move Israeli NGO Peace Now described as “the largest expropriation of land in a decade”. On 4 June, Israel announced the tender of 1,600 settlement units, many deep within the West Bank and in East Jerusalem. On 11 June, plans were progressed for a further 1,083 settlement units in the West Bank, including steps to retrospectively legalise and expand illegal outposts. The Foreign Secretary condemned these developments on 17 April and 5 June.
There has been a spike in settler violence in the West Bank, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reporting 93 incidents that led to Palestinian casualties or property damage by Israeli settlers during the reporting period. 30 incidents resulted in Israeli settler injuries or property damage.
On 25 June, 80 Palestinian prisoners ended a two-month hunger strike - held in protest against Israeli use of administrative detention - after reaching an agreement with the Israeli Prison Service. The hunger strikers, 70 of whom were hospitalised, complained that they were frequently denied visitors, placed in solitary confinement, subjected to strip searches, and denied education opportunities.
Israeli legislation is being considered in the Knesset which would allow for the force feeding of prisoners on hunger strike where “there is a real possibility that within a short period of time risk to the life of the prisoner or serious irreversible disability will occur”.
NGO Defence for Children International reports that there were 214 Palestinian children in Israeli detention at the end of May. British Embassy officials in Tel Aviv continued to press for further improvements in the arrest and detention process for Palestinian child detainees with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, MoD, and military justice system authorities.
There has been an increase in the rate of demolition of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. According to the Civil Society Working Group on Demolitions, a total of 200 structures were demolished over the reporting period, displacing 385 Palestinians. 44 of the structures demolished were provided by international donor agencies as humanitarian or development support to Palestinian communities. We have raised our concerns over the increase in demolitions with the Israeli authorities, including with the Israeli Ambassador and the National Security Council, and have made clear that we would be seriously concerned by any decision to forcibly transfer Bedouin communities from the E1 area. Minister for the Middle East, Hugh Robertson, visited Area C villages at risk of demolition during his visit to the region in June.
On 23 June, the Israeli authorities issued a punitive demolition order against the house in Hebron of a Palestinian man convicted of killing an Israeli police officer in April. This was the first time in over five years that the controversial practice of punitive demolitions has been used.
On 1 April, the Palestinian Authority (PA) signed ratification instruments for 15 international human rights and humanitarian treaties and conventions. On 23 April, Hamas and Palestinian Legislative Council representatives announced a reconciliation agreement with the formation of an interim technocratic government, and presidential and parliamentary elections to be held within six months.
Gaza
Rocket fire from militants in Gaza into southern Israel continued during the reporting period, with retaliatory airstrikes by Israeli forces, and a particular rise in violence following the West Bank kidnappings and subsequent Israeli military operation in the OPTs. This resulted in eight Palestinian deaths during the reporting period, with another 88 injured.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza continued to be of serious concern, with shortages of fuel, cooking gas and construction materials worsening due to frequent closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing. The UK welcomed Israel’s decision to allow 20 of 30 projects run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to resume at the end of April. USD105 million worth of UN construction projects are still waiting approval from the Israeli authorities and another USD11.6 million worth of projects are pending authorisation to resume. We continued to urge the Israeli authorities, including the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Security Council, to lift the ban on the import of construction materials for the private sector, which has contributed to a steep increase in the Gazan rate of unemployment.
Gazan fisherman continued to be impacted by Israeli access restrictions. OCHA report that during April and May there were over 60 shooting incidents by Israeli forces at sea, resulting in five Palestinians injured, 20 detained, and the confiscation of over 12 boats.
Hamas police forces shut down banks in Gaza for one week in June, preventing PA employees from collecting their salaries. Hamas carried out two executions on 7 May and issued a further death sentence on 15 May. Mr Robertson publicly condemned the executions, as did local EU missions. The UK welcomed President Abbas’s commitment to ensuring compliance with the PA moratorium on the death penalty in Gaza as well as the West Bank, following the formation of the interim unity government.