arch/ive/ief (2000 - 2005)

Urgent appeal to immediately lift siege imposed on al-Mawasi area by Israeli occupying forces

Ref: 70/2002

Date: 18 May 2002

For the seventh successive day, Israeli occupying forces have imposed a strict curfew on the al-Mawasi area in Rafah and Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, a form of collective punishment against approximately 15,000 Palestinian civilians living in the area under Israeli security control. Israeli measures against al-Mawasi area have had a disastrous impact on civilians and have violated their economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to education; approximately 2,000 students are due to start their final exams today.

According to PCHR's investigation, on Sunday, 12 May, Israeli occupation forces imposed a curfew on al-Mawasi area along the coast of the Gaza Strip, extending from the southwest of Deir al-Balah to the Egyptian border. Israeli forces ordered Palestinian civilians living in the area to stay in their houses, and prohibited their movement inside and outside the area. The curfew was imposed after a Jewish settler was killed by a young Palestinian man in the area. Israeli occupying forces claimed that the curfew was imposed to ensure security for hundreds of Jewish settlers living on Palestinian land expropriated from their original Palestinian owners to establish settlements, which are illegal under international humanitarian law.

PCHR's field officer in Rafah reported that Israeli occupying forces lifted the curfew imposed on al-Mawasi area of Rafah for students and teachers to attend school. However, residents of the area were confused because Israeli forces declared through loudspeakers that the curfew was ongoing. Consequently, the Palestinian Ministry of Education has postponed the final exams to Tuesday, 21 May, to ensure the safety and security of both students and teachers.

As a result of Israeli measures, teachers and students have been deprived access to their schools and universities in Rafah and Khan Yunis. Final exams at public schools have started today, and approximately 2,000 students living in the area, were denied access to their schools to attend these exams. Such collective punishment violates the right to education, which includes free and safe access to educational institutions. PCHR's field officer in Khan Yunis reported that Israeli occupying forces allowed students and teachers living in al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis to go to their schools from 06:00 to 08:00 and will be allowed to be back to the area between 13:00 and 14:00. However, 5% of the students were not able to go to their schools because Israeli forces prevented cars from transporting them from their places of residence to al-Tuffah checkpoint, approximately 5km away from their schools. On the other hand, secondary school students refused to go to their schools due to serious threats to their lives posed by Israeli forces and Jewish settlers.

Al-Mawasi area in the Gaza Strip has been under strict Israeli siege since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada on 29 September 2000. Palestinian civilians living in the area have been allowed to move inside and outside the area only for limited hours during the day. It often takes approximately 2-5 hours to leave the area. Palestinian civilians living outside the area have been denied access to the area. Israeli occupying forces have given residents of the area special numbers recorded on their identity cards. More than 2,000 Palestinian civilians living outside the area have been denied access to their farms and greenhouses in the area. PCHR's field workers reported that some Palestinian women, who left the area to go to hospital before the curfew was imposed on 12 May, have been prevented from going back home. When Israeli forces allowed movement form and into the area, Palestinian civilians faced serious threats to their lives by Israeli forces; three Palestinian women were wounded by Israeli gunfire.

PCHR (Palestinian Centre for Human Rights - ndlp) calls upon the international community to ensure Israel's respect for international humanitarian law and human rights law. PCHR calls for concrete measures against Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights, especially as the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, applicable to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, requires the High Contracting Parties to ensure Israel's respect for the Convention. Otherwise, the failure to enforce international humanitarian law will lead to escalating human rights violations.