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OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
Update for oPt (16 – 22 February 2005)<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
I<\/strong><\/span>NSIDE<\/strong><\/span>INSIDE<\/u><\/strong><\/span>: Casualties — Incidents involving ambulances — Curfew — House demolition\/Demolition orders\/People displaced — Land levelling\/Requisitions —<\/strong><\/span> <\/span>Closures\/restrictions on movement — Access to schools — Labour movement to Israel — Other incidents and significant report — Appendix<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n
1. <\/strong>Casualties<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
Palestinians: Deaths: 2; Injured: 18 (approximate)<\/p><\/div>\n
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Israelis: Deaths: 0; Injured: 6 (approximate)<\/p><\/div>\n
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Internationals: Deaths: 0; Injured: 1<\/p><\/div>\n
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Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, UNRWA, IDF website, Israeli MoFA.<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n
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2.<\/strong> Incidents involving ambulances and medical teams<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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West Bank: (Information covers the period 2 – 4 February)<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
Denial of access: <\/strong>1<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Delay (30 minutes)<\/strong>: 2<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Shooting\/Damage to Ambulance: <\/strong>1<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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•\t<\/span>18 February<\/strong>: Israeli settlers reportedly threw stones at a PRCS ambulance near Jit junction in Nablus. No injuries to the crew were reported, however the ambulance sustained some damages.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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The Gaza Strip<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Denial of access<\/strong>: 0<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Delay (30 minutes)<\/strong>: 4<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Shooting\/Damage to Ambulance<\/strong>: 0<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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• 14 January ongoing<\/strong>: No Palestinian patients, with few exceptions, have been permitted through Erez for further treatment in Israel or the West Bank.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 22 February<\/strong>: A group of 25 Palestinian patients was delayed at Erez crossing for six to eight hours. Most in the group decided to return to the Gaza Strip.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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Sources: OCHA FCU, PRCS, Palestinian MoH<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n
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3. <\/strong>Curfews<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
• No incidents reported.<\/p><\/div>\n
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Sources: OCHA FCU, Village Councils, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n
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4. <\/strong>House demolitions\/Demolition orders\/People displaced<\/u><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n\n
West Bank<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 17 February<\/strong>: The IDF handed 16 evacuation orders to Palestinians from Wadi Fukin village west of Bethlehem. The orders state that the villagers must return the land to its previous state – remove all changes made, including a spring rehabilitation project. The local municipality states that the orders affect more than 780 dunums (78 hectares) of land, 150 dunums (15 hectares) of which have been rehabilitated by the NGO World Vision. According to the orders, the IDF will clear the land if the land is not returned to its previous state by the Palestinians. The Palestinian owners will be charged for the cost of the IDF levelling.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 22 February<\/strong>: An uninhabited seven-storey building on the Mount of Olives was demolished due to a lack of a building permit.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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The Gaza Strip<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
•\t<\/span>No incidents reported.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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Sources: OCHA FCU, UNRWA<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n
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5. <\/strong><\/span>Land levelling\/Requisitions<\/u><\/strong><\/span>1<\/sup><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n
West Bank<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 3 February<\/strong>: (not reported previously) IDF military requisition order no. 05\/20 calls for the confiscation of 25.4 dunums (2.54 hectares) of land for the constriction of a gate in the Barrier in Al ‘Eizariyya.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 February<\/strong>: The IDF issued a military requisition order for 250 m2 of land belonging to 'Akkaba (Tulkarm) for the purpose of constructing a military observation tower.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 to 22 February<\/strong>: The IDF requisitioned 49.3 dunums (4.93 hectares) – requisition order T\/100\/04 – on the eastern side of Qalandiya checkpoint. Land levelling has begun for the construction of IDF buildings.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 20 February<\/strong>: New land levelling for the construction of the Barrier started west of Bil’in south toward Saffa in the west of the governorate between the villages and Modi’in Illit settlement.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 to 22 February<\/strong>: Work progressed on the concrete section of the Barrier erected across the old road to Hebron, at the entrance to Bethlehem. According to the Israeli DCL, the Barrier will leave a gap on the road closed by a gate. This will remain open only until the new checkpoint-terminal, adjacent to the Barrier, is completed in May\/June 2005. Meanwhile, the new access road, which will allow Jewish worshippers to access the area next to Rachel’s Tomb, is being prepared for a new concrete section of the Barrier aimed at securing it.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• Land levelling near the area of Deir Ballut and Az Zawiya (Salfit) has been ongoing throughout the week.<\/p><\/div>\n
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• Levelling of land near Kafriat checkpoint (Tulkarm) continued throughout the week in preparation a new tunnel under Road 57.<\/p><\/div>\n
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The Gaza Strip<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
•\t<\/span>No incidents reported.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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Sources: OCHA FCU, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, UNRWA, Palestinian DCL, Village Council<\/i><\/p><\/div>\n
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1 <\/sup><\/span>4 dunums = 1 acre; 10 dunums = 1 hectare<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n
6. <\/strong><\/span>Closure<\/u><\/strong><\/span>2<\/u><\/sup><\/strong><\/span>\/Restrictions on movement<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\n
Tulkarm\/Qalqiliya\/Salfit governorates<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• Tulkarm Governorate<\/strong>: In Tulkarm Governorate, the IDF maintained eased movement restrictions. Although all parts of Kafriat checkpoint remained manned during the week, no restrictions were imposed on Palestinian-plated vehicles, which in general could freely cross the checkpoint. No restrictions were imposed on Palestinians with Israeli IDs travelling to Tulkarm town. Israeli yellow-plated cars had to be parked outside the town.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• In Nazlat Isa, six households (69 people) are living between the Barrier and the Green Line. Three people had their green permit renewed for one year, and one female resident was rejected renewal on security grounds.<\/p><\/div>\n
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• Qalqiliya Governorate<\/strong>: No restrictions were imposed on the local populations residing in and travelling on the eastern side of the Barrier. The tunnel between Qalqiliya town and Habla remained open for Palestinians the entire week. No restrictions were imposed on Palestinians with Israeli IDs travelling to Qalqiliya town.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 18 January<\/strong>: The IDF introduced new electronic checking procedures at the Barrier gate into 'Azzun 'Atma in Qalqiliya Governorate. These new procedures have caused delays for residents, especially for teachers and school children.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• Salfit District<\/strong>: Movement between the villages continued to be hampered by the existence of road blocks and earth mounds and the restrictions to travel on the main roads. Three road blocks\/earth mounds in particular near Kafr Dik, Qarawat Bani Hassan and Yasuf severely hamper movement.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 February<\/strong>: The IDF re-established the roadblocks at Yasuf (Salfit) after having removed them temporarily three weeks ago.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 February<\/strong>: The IDF set up mobile check points in 'Azzun and Kafr Thulth (Qalqiliya).<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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2 <\/sup><\/span>For a reference West Bank checkpoint map please check the following link: <\/span>http:\/\/www.reliefweb.int\/hicopt\/maps\/Closure\/mar\/checkpoints_july04.pdf<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n\n
Nablus\/Jenin\/Tubas governorates<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 February: <\/strong>Huwwara checkpoint (Nablus) was closed for two hours.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 to 17 February<\/strong>: At Tayasir gate (Tubas), the IDF prevented Palestinian farmers from reaching their houses in the Jordan Valley for lack of entry permits.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 to 17 February<\/strong>: Delays occurred at Hamra checkpoint (Jordan Valley, Nablus Governorate).<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 21 February<\/strong>: Seven flying checkpoints were set up on Road 60 between Jenin and Ramallah.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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Ramallah\/Al Bireh governorates<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 17 February<\/strong>: The IDF closed Qalandiya checkpoint at 8am due to a high security alert, and prevented any movement until around 1pm. The partial checkpoint at Atara Bridge was also operating for about five hours. Delays were reported due to ID checking and vehicle searches.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 20 February<\/strong>: The IDF changed the opening hours of Qalandiya checkpoint, for both vehicles and pedestrians, from 6am to 10pm daily (instead of 4.30am to midnight for vehicles and 24 hour access for pedestrians). These new opening hours will remain effective for at least two weeks.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 16 to 21 February<\/strong>: The partial checkpoint at An Nabi Salih gate was operating daily from 8am to 10am, and from 3pm to 6pm. Delays were experienced.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n
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Jerusalem\/Jericho governorates<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• During the week, IDF mobile checkpoints operated daily at the entrance to Al ‘Eizariya-Ma’ale Adumim settlement resulting in delays.<\/p><\/div>\n
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• 17 and 18 February<\/strong>: A high alert was announced by Israeli security forces. The IDF set up several mobile checkpoints especially in the northern parts of Jerusalem Governorate.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• 20 February<\/strong>: Ramot Allon and Bir Nabala checkpoint were closed for several hours.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• (Not reported previously): A new printer and computer system have been installed at the Jericho DCL, which has speeded up the process of issuing magnetic cards. Cards are now issued on the spot.<\/p><\/div>\n
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Jerusalem Barrier<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• North<\/strong>: Construction of the Barrier continues along Road 60, the main road, between Qalandiya and Ar-Ram checkpoints. Land levelling southwest of the checkpoint has also started. On 20 February, the IDF started levelling the main street at Ar Ram\/Bir Nabala junction to expand the area for a planned parking lot. Land levelling is also taking place for the planned enlarged checkpoint south of present-day Qalandiya checkpoint. There is also ongoing land levelling and construction of the Barrier alongside the road between Hizma and Anata villages, as well as north of Neve Ya’akov and south of Pisgat Ze’ev settlements.<\/p><\/div>\n\n
• East<\/strong>: The IDF closed the area known as the Gate near Al ‘Eizariyy – Ras Al Amoud. Palestinians currently use the Monastery gate where Israeli Border Police are present to check for permits. Construction of the Barrier continues in Ash Sheikh Sa’ad, Sawahriya ash Sharqiya, Sur Bair, Abu Dis, and Al ‘Eizariyya. Construction is nearly completed from the Mount of Olives to the hill just south of Al Quds University in Abu Dis.<\/p><\/div>\n