Violations Bulletin

December 2012
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Two boys (14 and 17) fired upon and detained whilst fishing off the coast of Gaza. Family home, mother and three children (4, 2, and 7 months) attacked near Nablus by Israeli settlers throwing stones. Updated Urgent Appeal for the Children of the Sea in Gaza (UA - 3/12) Updated Urgent Appeal for the Forcible Transfer of Children (UA 2/12) Updated Urgent Appeal for the Solitary Confinement (UA 1/12)

Armed Israeli settlers walking near Yanun, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

2012 Overview
In 2012, 39 children were killed by Israeli air strikes on Gaza, 33 of which occurred during the Israeli offensive Operation Pillar of Defence, which started on 14 November 2012. During this offensive more than 400 children were injured, two were killed by Palestinian rockets falling short of their intended targets, and one child was killed whilst participating in hostilities. During 2012, DCI documented 42 cases of settler violence against children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Israeli authorities have consistently failed to prevent settler attacks against Palestinians or to take adequate enforcement measures against settlers for their actions. In 2012, a total of nine children were detained whilst fishing in the new fishing limit set by Israeli authorities, two of which (14 and 17) occurred in December. In December 2012, following the recognition of Palestine as a UN nonmember state, Israel announced the planned expansion of settlements in a contentious area of East Jerusalem and an additional 5,500 new housing units in Bethlehem. In February, two boys from Beit Ummar were used as human shields and injured whilst being arrested by Israeli soldiers. The soldiers used the boys to shield themselves from villagers that were throwing stones. On 16 August 2012, two incidents resulted in Israeli youths injuring Palestinian children: an attempted lynching occurred in West Jerusalem, and a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a car in the West Bank. The children who threw the Molotov cocktail have since been released. These cases highlight how Israeli authorities apply different legal systems based on race or nationality.

IN THE NEWS
UNICEF - In Gaza, children returning to school are scarred by violence AFP - Children pay high price for Gaza war The Guardian Settlements expansion approval The Telegraph US, Israeli settlements are a threat to peace The Guardian Former Israeli soldiers describe mistreatment of Palestinian children BTselem Israeli settler from Nokdim indicted for shooting a 13-year-old Palestinian in 2007.

Number of Palestinian children killed as a result of Israeli military and settler presence in the OPT
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

TOTAL

94

98

192

130

162

52

124

50

112

315

15

43

1,395

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DCI-Palestine Violations Bulletin, Issue 27 December 2012

Urgent Appeals
UA 3/12 Children of the Sea UA 3/11 Settler Violence UA 2/12 Forcible transfer UA 1/12 Solitary confinement UA 6/11 Children of Beit Ummar UA 4/11 Children of Azzun

Case summary
Name: Date of incident: Location: Age: Nature of incident: Mohammad Q. 26 December 2012 Yatta, Hebron 12 Injury, Soldier violence

On 26 December 2012, a 12-year-old boy from Yatta, Hebron, was injured when he was hit in the head by a teargas canister fired by an Israeli soldier.
Twelve-year-old Mohammad lives in Yatta and studies at Yatta Basic School for Boys. At around 3:00 p.m., Mohammad heard people running in front of his house because Israeli soldiers had entered the village. Mohammad decided to go out and join them and recalls that soldiers were heading towards the mosque to arrest a village resident, about 100 metres northwest of his house. Mohammad saw 10 military jeeps and tens of soldiers deployed in the area. Youths were throwing stones at them. I noticed one of the soldiers was on a rooftop of one of the houses where the jeeps were parked. I felt really scared because he was looking at me. I ran off immediately. I ran for about three metres and then was hit by a teargas canister on the left side of my head, Mohammad recalls. Mohammad fell to the ground and was assisted by a young man who helped him move and sit up against a wall where he could not be spotted by the soldiers. I was losing my balance and was really scared, he adds. After having been told that the soldiers were not coming after him, Mohammad went back home. His mother, worried about his condition and the lump on his head, called Mohammads father so that he could bring him to the hospital. Brought in the neighbours car, Mohammad arrived at Abu Hasan Qasem Hospital in Yatta around an hour later. There doctors transferred him by taxi to Aliya Hospital where Mohammad was given first aid treatment and xrays were taken. About one and a half hours later he was transferred to Al Mezan Hospital in Hebron. Mohammad was admitted to the intensive care unit and discharged three days later. The day after he was released from the hospital, Mohammad had spasms and was taken back to Aliya Hospital where he spent two days and received further treatment. I am home now but still on medication. I could not take my final exams because of my injury, and my father said he would talk to my teachers about it, says Mohammad. 14 January 2013
DCI-Palestine Violations Bulletin, Issue 27 December 2012

Voices from the Occupation Naser S. On 13 December 2012, a 16-year-old boy from Hebron was struck in the abdomen by a bullet fired by an Israeli soldier during clashes with protesters in Hebron. Raghad A. On 13 December 2012, a 14-year-old boy from Tel Rumeida, Hebron, is injured by stones thrown by settlers on his walk home from school. Mohammad S. On December 2012, a 15-year-old boy from North Gaza, was struck in the leg by a bullet fired by an Israeli soldier while working on his uncles land near the Israeli border. More Media Archive BBC documentary Ultra Zionists (settlers) The Independent Jewish settlers are terrorising Palestinians, says Israeli General The Guardian video Gaza Fishermen The Guardian Jewish settler attacks on Palestinians listed as 'terrorist incidents' by US Al Jazeera Palestinian child prisoners abused The Guardian Former Israeli soldiers disclose routine mistreatment of Palestinian Children More
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For information on Palestinian Child Prisoners read: Bound, Blindfolded and Convicted: Children held in military detention

In the spotlight
Offensive in Gaza Following the 14 November 2012 Israeli airstrike that killed Ahmed Jabari, a Hamas leader in Gaza, violence erupted between Palestinians and Israeli forces. According to the UN, during the eight days of violence from 1421 November 2012, 158 Palestinians and six Israelis were killed. DCI has confirmed that, during the eight days, 33 children were killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. Additionally, two Palestinian children were killed when rockets fired by Palestinian fighters fell short of their intended targets, and one other child was killed whilst engaged in hostilities. Of the 1,200 Palestinians injured, more than 400 were children. In total, 36 children were killed during the November offensive; 23 percent of all fatalities. The youngest, nine-month-old Hanin, was killed by an Israeli airstrike while sleeping in her parents bedroom. It should be noted that children were not immune from violence prior to or following the latest Israeli offensive targeting Gaza. In 2012, DCI documented 40 child fatalities resulting from Israeli military activity in the Gaza Strip.

For information on child recruitment read: Recruitment and Use of Palestinian Children in Armed Conflict

For information on the situation of children in East Jerusalem read: Voices from East Jerusalem: The Situation facing Palestinian Children.

Psychological impact of offensive in Gaza As UNICEF reports, children of Gaza have been scarred by the violence of these eight days. Results from this study show that children living in all parts of Gaza have been affected. Many have witnessed shelling and airstrikes that damaged or destroyed their homes and neighbourhoods. Many children also encountered horrific scenes involving dead and dismembered bodies and graphic pictures on television. Many children witnessed or were affected by the killing of people close to them. Eighty percent of the children that lived through Operation Pillar of Defence now fear loud sounds. The majority of them also fear that they could be killed when, alone at home or whilst going out of the house. Most children report feeling insecure, dazed or stunned, angry, excessive nervousness, mental strain and having difficulty concentrating. Regarding symptomatic/physical symptoms, a majority of children reported clinging to and sleeping with their parents, having sleep disturbances, and a change in their appetite. Additionally, children have reported crying more than before the attacks, as well as aches and feeling ill. The highest levels of physical symptoms were found among those children whose homes were destroyed or damaged. As a result, children of Gaza cannot concentrate at school (at least 136 schools and kindergartens were damaged). In some schools, the classroom walls are missing, glass is scattered throughout the schoolyards, and craters are now a part of the surroundings. Children are scared of not being safe when inside and of walking in the streets. Some reported that they would not go to the bathroom alone because they feared another airstrike. Nourhan jumps at the sound each time a car passes by: It sounds like a missile is falling nearby.

For information on settler violence against Palestinian children read: Under Attack: Settler Violence against Palestinian Children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Lawyers and fieldworkers for DCIPalestine collect sworn affidavits from victims and/or eye witnesses of human rights violations against Palestinian children. These affidavits are reviewed by trained staff to determine appropriate follow up action. Additional case summaries are available on request. For further information contact us through our website: www.dci-palestine.org Page 3
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DCI-Palestine Violations Bulletin, Issue 27 December 2012