15 March 1996

HUMAN RIGHTS ALERT, #3

DEATH TOLL RISES TO FIVE AS A DIRECT RESULT OF SIEGE

Land and Water Establishment

PO Box 20873

Jerusalem, via Israel

Tel: (972) (2) 812364/824559

Fax: (972) (2) 811072

email: lawe@netvision.net.il

As the death toll mounts as a result of the current state of siege under which the West Bank and Gaza is suffering, conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Autonomous areas continue to deteriorate. LAWE notes with increasing alarm the fact that health care has literally been taken hostage in this collective punishment of the Palestinian population. This state of total closure has disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life, and everyday acts of degrading and humiliating treatment by the occupying Israeli army only serve to heighten an already tense situation.

LAWE documented the following human rights abuses from 13 to 15 March.

Health and Medicine:

On 13 March, a man from Shuqba village near Ramallah had a heart attack at a nearby checkpoint near Rantis village. The soldiers called an ambulance from a settlement only three kilometers away, apparently specifying that the sick man was Arab. The ambulance arrived 1/2 hour later, but too late to save the man, who died at the checkpoint. His death brought the total to five of fatalities as a direct result of this siege: one woman from Gaza, detained for five hours at the checkpoint into Israel; one three-week old baby whose ambulance was refused permission to travel between Qalqilya to Tulkarem; twins who were born at a checkpoint and died before reaching the hospital as a result of a two hour delay at the checkpoint; and the above-mentioned victim of heart attack.

In addition, on 13 March a man in critical condition in a hospital in Jericho applied to be transferred to a more advanced facility in Jenin. He waited 10 hours for the permission to be granted, but died before it was given.

In another emergency case, a child was delayed for three hours at a checkpoint to enter Jerusalem to go to Tel Hashomer Hospital. Her parents were denied permission to accompany her, and only obtained permission to visit 48 hours later.

Health services and clinics in and around Nablus and Hebron have severely cut back or ended services. All hospitals and clinics are operating with an extremely reduced staff. The EPI polio vaccination service has been suspended by the PNA ministry of health, and 245 villages have been deprived entirely of vaccination services as the Israeli authorities have stopped the entry of vaccines into the West Bank and Gaza from Israel.

Arrests and Closures:

On 13 March, Israeli soldiers found five men from Qalqilya outside of their restricted Area. The soldiers confiscated their clothing, burned it, and forced the men to walk home without clothing. This is the third incident of this type.

On 14 March, the Israeli army conducted a night-time raid on Akabe village near Jenin, declared curfew, ordered all the men of the village to report outside their homes, and arrested five. Another 24 people were arrested throughout the day from the Ramallah and Hebron areas. In addition, this week a total of 50 people have been arrested at various checkpoints. These arrests bring to 300 the total arrested by the Israeli army in the West Bank.

On 14 March, Israeli Prime Minister Peres announced the impending deportation of several men accused of being connected to the suicide bombings.

On 14 March, the family home of Yehiya Ayyash was demolished in Rafat village, located south-east of Qalqilya. This brings to three (four, including the neighboring home destroyed during the demolition in Burqa) the number of homes demolished since Monday 4 March.

Shortages:

The food situation in al-Fawwar refugee camp has become even more critical. The camp no longer has milk, bread or basic produce. No provisions have been allowed in the camp since its curfew was imposed 11 days ago.

Travel:

Movement inside the West Bank, and from the West Bank to Jordan, and from Gaza to Israel and Gaza to Egypt remains totally restricted. Today, 15 March, Israeli authorities have allowed for a brief six hour period for people to move in the West Bank so those in outlying villages can come to the towns and buy the few remaining supplies. The village curfews and the closures of Palestinian towns will be re-imposed at four o'clock this afternoon.

LAWE calls on all concerned parties in the international community to contact their local government representatives and the Israeli Prime Minister to express their condemnation of this kind collective, degrading, and fatal punishment. (Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, fax: (972) (2) 705555/664838).

Land and Water Establishment is a non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. Your comments on the above are welcome. Please do not hesitate to contact us.