Saturday, March 30, 2013

Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Fishermen West of Beit Lahyia

Al Mezan

30-3-2013

At approximately 6:30 am on Saturday 30 March 2013, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza sea opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North Gaza district. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Palestinian Fishing Boats in North Gaza District

Al Mezan

30-3-2013

At approximately 7:00 am on Saturday 30 March 2013, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza sea opened heavy fire at Palestinian fishing boats off the coast about less than three nautical miles west of As-Sudaniya area west of North Gaza district. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Fishermen North and West of Al Waha Resort

Al Mezan

28-3-2013

At approximately 4:20 pm on Thursday 28 March 2013, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza sea opened sporadic fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North Gaza district. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Urgent appeal: Illegal restrictions on fishing access to the Palestinian territorial waters

Illegal restrictions on fishing access to the Palestinian territorial waters 


Posted on: Saturday, March 23, 2013
[Please click on TAKE ACTION BOX below to actually send the letter from the source website]

Alert



URGENT APPEALRef: UA 05 / 13.

VIOLATIONS: illegal restrictions on fishing access to the Palestinian territorial waters

Under the government of Israel’s illegal occupation, Palestinian families are severely deprived of a vital food source because of Israel’s illegal restrictions placed on access by fishermen to the Palestinian territorial waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

In the years since 1994, the area in which Israel allows Palestinian fishermen to fish has been gradually reduced from the 20 nautical miles provided for under the Oslo Accords to 3 nautical miles in 2009 as part of a naval blockade imposed through the use of live fire, harassment, and unlawful arrests and arbitrary detention. The severely limited fishing area, combined with a near total ban on exports, has brought Gaza’s fishing industry to the brink of collapse, bringing the number of working fishermen from approximately 10,000 in 1999 to less than 3,200 today.

Please press the TAKE ACTION BOX to send letter of protest to H.E. OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, H.E. RIYAD H MANSOUR, Ambassador,  Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine and H.E. RON PROSOR, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations and PCHR.

Please  ask  your  mailing list to click on CURRENT URGENT APPEAL

For further information: 

Appeal

 H.E. OLIVIER DE SCHUTTER, 
UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food

Your Excellency

Under the government of Israel’s illegal occupation, Palestinian families are severely deprived of a vital food source because of Israel’s illegal restrictions placed on access by fishermen to the Palestinian territorial waters off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

The responsibilities of your office are to  ensure that member states  fulfil their legal obligations as  set out in article 2 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). 

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in General Comment No. 12 also defined the obligations that States parties have to fulfil in order to implement the right to adequate food at the national level. These are as follows:

  • The obligation to respect existing access to adequate food requires States parties not to take any measures that result in preventing such access;
  • The obligation to protect requires measures by the State to ensure that enterprises or individuals do not deprive individuals of their access to adequate food;
  • The obligation to fulfill (facilitate) means the State must pro-actively engage in activities intended to strengthen people's access to and utilization of resources and means to ensure their livelihood, including food security;
  • Whenever an individual or group is unable, for reasons beyond their control, to enjoy the right to adequate food by the means at their disposal, States have the obligation to fulfill (provide) that right directly. This obligation also applies for persons who are victims of natural or other disasters. 

The United Nations has been aware that since Israel’s illegal blockade of Gaza that the people of Gaza’s right to food i.e. the right to have regular, permanent and unrestricted access has been violated by Israel and in the 7 years the United Nations has failed the  people of Gaza particularly in the near collapse of the essential fishing industry.

In the years since 1994, the area in which Israel allows Palestinian fishermen to fish has been gradually reduced from the 20 nautical miles provided for under the Oslo Accords to 3 nautical miles in 2009 as part of a naval blockade imposed through the use of live fire, harassment, and unlawful arrests and arbitrary detention. The severely limited fishing area, combined with a near total ban on exports, has brought Gaza’s fishing industry to the brink of collapse, bringing the number of working fishermen from approximately 10,000 in 1999 to less than 3,200 today.

Under the November 2012 ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, the fishing limit was supposedly extended to six nautical miles. Fishermen began to sail further out to sea, resulting in somewhat greater yields of fish. However, attacks against fishermen continued, even within the previous three mile limit. 

Since 2003, the following  Palestinian  fishermen have been killed by Israel:
- Sa’id Nader al-‘Attar, (29), 24/5/2007 ( according to PCHR killed on shore, PSP killed off shore
- Hamdan Mohammed (or Mahmoud) Barhoum, (24) 21/12/2006 
- Hani al-Najar, (27), 2/10/2006 
- Natheer Farhat, (37), 10/12/2005 
- Ziyad Al-Bardawil, (22) 3/12/2005 

Between 22 November 2012 and 28 February 2013, Israel has violated the terms of the Egyptian-brokered truce, post Operation Pillar of Cloud, over 108 times, including, 41 shooting incidents, resulting in 4 injuries. In addition, 42 fishermen have been detained in 11 arrest incidents. Furthermore, 8 boats have been damaged, and 8 boats have been confiscated.

Israel’s attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip, who do not pose any threat to the security of the Israeli naval forces, constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law. The fishing exclusion zone, maintained through arbitrary arrests and attacks, constitutes a measure of collective punishment, which is prohibited under Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.The right to work, including in just and favourable conditions, is provided for under Article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as under Article 6 and 7 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Moreover, Article 11 of the ICESCR recognises "the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions."

I urge the United Nations to demand of Israel that the blockade of Gaza is immediately lifted and that Palestinian fishermen  enjoy access to Palestinian territorial waters in line with international law.

Sincerely

------------

Sources: Gaza's Ark, Justice for Palestine Matters

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Fishermen West of Beit Lahyia

Al Mezan

26-3-2013

At approximately 7:00 am on Tuesday 26 March 2013, , Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened sporadic fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North Gaza district. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Monday, March 25, 2013

IOF Opens Fire at Fishermen West of Beit Lahiya

Al Mezan

25-3-2013

On Monday, 25 March 2013, at approximately 6:30 am, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened sporadic fire toward Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North of Gaza. No casualties or injuries were reported.

Israeli Gunboats Open Fire at Fishermen North and West of Al Waha Resort

Al Mezan

25-3-2013

On Monday, 25 March 2013, at approximately 7:20 am, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened sporadic fire on Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North Gaza district. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

IOF Opens Fire at Fishermen North of Gaza

Al Mezan

24-3-2013

On Sunday, 24 March 2013, at approximately 6:00 am and 7:30 pm, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened fire toward Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, North of Gaza. No Casualties or injuries were reported.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Israel opens fire at Gaza fishermen to impose new limit



GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces opened fire at fishermen off Gaza's coast on Saturday, forcing them to comply with a newly imposed reduced fishing zone following a rocket attack on southern Israel.

Israel's army announced Thursday that the fishing zone for Palestinians in Gaza would be reduced from six to three miles following a rocket attack.

Fishermen in Gaza told Ma'an that Israel's navy opened fire at them on Saturday to prevent them from going out further than 3 miles.

Mahfouth Kabariti, head of a federation for fishermen and water sports, confirmed that the Israeli navy had set up new signs defining the permitted fishing zone.

The zone had been extended to 11 km as part of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that ended an eight-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in November, in which 166 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed.

The newly imposed Israeli restriction does not necessarily mean that Israel has abandoned the ceasefire agreement, Gaza-based political analyst Wisam Afifa told Ma'an.

Rather, Israel is trying to use the terms of the agreement which affect humanitarian issues as a means to exert pressure on Hamas and other Palestinian resistance factions to adhere to the ceasefire deal, he said.

"When missiles are fired by an unidentified source in Gaza, that leaves question marks about the launchers and their goals," he added.

Hamas complained to Egypt on Friday after Israel suspended part of a Cairo-brokered truce agreement. An Egyptian official confirmed that the Hamas complaint had been received, saying Israel had complained separately about the rocket attack.

The official said Cairo would contact both sides to "restore their commitment to the truce".

Magles Shoura al-Mujahedeen, a hardline Islamist Salafi faction with a small presence in Gaza and the neighboring Egyptian Sinai, claimed responsibility for the salvo on Sderot.

In an online statement, the group said it had struck during Obama's visit to show up Israeli air defenses - a likely reference to Israel's US-backed Iron Dome rocket shield.

Hamas appeals to Egypt after Israel halves fishing zone



GAZA CITY (Reuters) -- Hamas complained to Egypt on Friday after Israel suspended part of a Cairo-brokered truce agreement by halving Palestinian access to fishing waters in response to a rocket attack from the Gaza Strip.

Thursday's salvo at the Israeli border town of Sderot, which caused no casualties, coincided with a visit to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank by US President Barack Obama.

It was claimed by a small al-Qaida-linked faction that has challenged the Islamist Hamas group's rule in the Gaza Strip.

Israel, which holds Hamas responsible for any violence emanating from the enclave, retaliated by shutting the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing on the Gaza border and by enforcing a newly restricted 5 km wide fishing zone.

The zone had been extended to 11 km as part of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that ended an eight-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in November, in which 166 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed.

"We have informed Cairo of this violation and we are waiting to hear a clear position from Egyptian mediators on this," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said, giving no indication that Hamas wanted to abandon the ceasefire arrangement.

An Egyptian official confirmed that the Hamas complaint had been received, saying Israel had complained separately about the rocket attack.

The official said Cairo would contact both sides to "restore their commitment to the truce". Israel said on Thursday its new Gaza restrictions would be in place until further notice.

Magles Shoura al-Mujahedeen, a hardline Islamist Salafi faction with a small presence in Gaza and the neighboring Egyptian Sinai, claimed responsibility for the salvo on Sderot.

In an online statement, the group said it had struck during Obama's visit to show up Israeli air defenses - a likely reference to Israel's US-backed Iron Dome rocket shield.

Magles Shoura al-Muhajedeen and Hamas are both hostile to Israel. But the Salafis accuse Hamas of diluting Islamist doctrine by seeking accommodation with secular Palestinians.

Hamas has at times cracked down on the Salafis, seeing them as a threat to the stability of the impoverished Gaza Strip.

On Thursday the Hamas administration's spokesman Taher al-Nono questioned whether rockets had been fired from Gaza and reaffirmed commitment to the "mutual calm agreement brokered by Cairo".

Reducing Gaza's fishing waters spelled losses for some 3,000 Palestinians whose livelihood depends on the sea.

"There is nothing to catch within three miles from shore," said fisherman Talal Shweikh, 62. "All the fish that you see in the market today came from Egypt."

Friday, March 22, 2013

Israel to limit Gaza fishing zone after rocket fire

 
 
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israel will reduce the Gaza fishing zone as punishment for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip following a rocket attack, the Israeli military announced Thursday.

"In response to the rocket fire earlier this morning ... the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Minister of Defense, Mr. Moshe (Bogie) Yaalon, have instructed the IDF to narrow the permitted fishing zone for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip from six to three miles," the army said.

"Additionally, Kerem Shalom crossing will be closed. These changes will continue until the IDF is otherwise instructed by the political echelon.

"The IDF considers this incident with great severity and holds the Hamas terror organization responsible for any hostile activity emanating from the Gaza Strip."

The Palestinian minister of civil affairs Hussein al-Sheikh confirmed the measure.

"The Israeli side officially informed us that Kerem Shalom crossing is closed until further notice, and that the Gaza fishing zone has been reduced from 6 to 3 miles," al-Sheikh told Ma'an.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

IOF Opens Fire at Fishermen in Northern Gaza

Al Mezan

13-3-2013

At approximately 6:00 am, on Wednesday 13 March 2013, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened sporadic fire towards Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort, near the maritime border, northwest of Beit Lahiya, in the North Gaza district. No injuries were reported.

Monday, March 11, 2013

IOF Opens Fire at Fishermen in Northern Gaza

Al Mezan

11-3-2013

At approximately 6:00 pm on Sunday 11 March 2013, Israeli naval vessels patrolling the Gaza Sea opened fire towards Palestinian fishing boats off the coast northwest of Al Waha resort—near the maritime border—northwest of Beit Lahiya, north of Gaza. No injuries were reported.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Gaza Strip: Attacks in the border areas and their consequences


Sunday, 03 March 2013 00:00

PCHR Fact Sheet  February 2013 


Following disengagement from the Gaza Strip in September 2005, Israel unilaterally and illegally established a so-called “buffer zone”, an area prohibited to Palestinians along the land and sea borders of the Gaza Strip. The precise area designated by Israel as a “buffer zone” is not clear and this Israeli policy is typically enforced with live fire. The establishment of the ‘buffer zone’ is illegal under both Israeli and international law.

Preventing Palestinians from accessing their lands and fishing areas violates numerous provisions of international human rights law, including the right to work, the right to an adequate standard of living, and the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Enforcing the “buffer zone” through the use of live fire often results in, inter alia, the direct targeting of civilians and/or indiscriminate attacks, both of which constitute war crimes.

Following the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in November 2012, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian armed groups was brokered by the Egyptian government, which included terms related to access to land and sea. In an online statement on 25 February 2013, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) declared that fishermen could now access the sea up to six nautical miles offshore, and that farmers could now access lands in the border area up to 100m from the border fence. However, both references have since been removed from the statement.
                                                                                                                                


Dimensions

On land, inside Palestinian territory

Distance from the border fence, up to which access is permitted:

· Second Intifada (2000): 150 metres
· According to Israel (2010) : 300 metres
· 22 November 2012: unclear parameters
· 25 February 2013: 100 metres
· 11 March 2013: 300 metres


In reality, attacks against civilians take place anywhere up to approximately 1.5 kilometres inside the border fence. This constitutes approximately 17% of the total territory of the Gaza Strip.



At sea, off the coast of the Gaza Strip

Distance from the shore, up to which access is permitted:

· Oslo Accords (1994): 20 nautical miles (nm)
· Bertini Commitment (2002): 12 nm
· October 2006: 6 nm
· End of 2007 : 3 nm
· 22 November 2012: 6 nm

In addition, access is consistently denied in the following areas:

· 1.5 nm in the north along the maritime boundary with Israel
· 1 nm in the south along the maritime boundary with Egypt


Impact

On land

· Approximately 27,000 dunums, 35% of the Gaza Strip's agricultural land, can only be accessed under high personal risk, as Israeli attacks may result in injury or death of civilians.
· 95% of the restricted area is arable land.
· After the evacuation of settlements (2005) and ‘Operation Cast Lead’ (2008-2009), the majority of Palestinian families living in the border areas abandoned their land and homes.
At sea

· Palestinians are completely prevented from accessing 85% of the Palestinian maritime areas recognised in the 1994 Gaza Jericho Agreement.
· Approximately 3,700 fishermen work under high personal risk every day at sea.
· Approximately 8,200 persons work in the fishing industry.
· Approximately 65,000 persons, including individuals who work in the fishing industry and their dependents, are affected by thebuffer zone” restrictions at sea.
· The area near the coast is markedly over-fished.



Attacks
February 2013
Attacks
Total
“Buffer zone” on land
“Buffer zone” at sea
Shelling
0
0
0
Shooting
28
15
13
Incursions
3
3
0*
Land levelling
0
0
0
Detention incidents
8
6
2
Total incidents
39
24
15

* These numbers do not represent all the incursions into Palestinian waters by Israeli naval forces, only the reported incidents. More often, the reported incidents involve shooting, injury and/or killing.


Consequences of attacks

a. Deaths and injuries
February 2013
Consequences
Total
“Buffer zone” on land
“Buffer zone” at sea
Death of persons
0
0
0
Minors
0
0
0
Women
0
0
0
Injury of persons
10
7
3
Minors
2
2
0
Women
0
0
0



b. Property related violations
February 2013
Consequences
Total
“Buffer zone” on land
“Buffer zone” at sea
Property damaged
3
0
3
Property confiscated
2
0
2
Dunums razed
0
0
0


c. Detention
February 2013
Consequences
Total
“Buffer zone” on land
“Buffer zone” at sea
Detention incidents
8
6
2
Total persons detained
17
11
6
Minors detained
11
9
2
Women detained
0
0
0