TEL AVIV, August 21, 2006 (WAFA)- B'Tselem, said Monday since the beginning of Operation Summer Rains in the Gaza Strip, on June 28, 2006, there has been a substantial increase in cases in which Israeli soldiers and Border Police in the West Bank beat, abuse, and humiliate Palestinians.

In research,The Israeli Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, noticed that the increase in incidents has been particularly evident since the outbreak of the war in Lebanon, on July 12.

Most of the violence and abuse documented by B'Tselem during this eight-week period did not cause severe bodily harm: a few slaps or kicks, curses and threats, and prolonged delays as punishment, for example.

However, B'Tselem investigation also included six particularly serious cases, in which the Palestinians were severely beaten and humiliated and required medical treatment.

Most of the violent incidents took place at checkpoints that are staffed permanently or intermittently, or at one of the flying checkpoints that the army sets up daily on West Bank roads. Some of the incidents occurred after security forces caught a Palestinian bypassing a checkpoint or using a road that the army has declared off-limits to Palestinian traffic. Others took place at the checkpoint itself, either when the Palestinian was waiting to cross or was detained for a lengthy period for “document checks.”

Based on B'Tselem’s research, the checkpoints most given to violent and abusive behavior by security forces are in the Nablus and Tulkarem districts. However, reports of violence also involved checkpoints elsewhere in the West Bank. The research indicates that Israel’s increased restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are the immediate cause for the increase in violence. Particularly in the northern West Bank, the additional restrictions Israel has imposed have heightened the friction between soldiers and the civilian population. However, there are indications that the events in Lebanon and Gaza also played a role, and this for two reasons. First, information obtained by B'Tselem indicated that reports on the extensive casualties that Hezbollah caused among Israeli civilians and soldiers aggravated the rage and frustration of security forces, which they was expressed in increased aggression towards Palestinians, including various remarks and insults directed at them. Second, with the public’s attention almost completely focused on events in Lebanon, and to a lesser extent in Gaza, the security forces in the West Bank may have thought they would not be held accountable for violent and abusive treatment of Palestinians.

Both Israeli law and International Law prohibit security forces from using excessive force in carrying out their missions. In all the cases reported to B'Tselem during this period, soldiers and Border Police used force that clearly exceeded that necessary to enforce the restrictions on movement.

Also, the acts described in the six cases presented here involve cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, which is prohibited by international law at all times and regardless of the circumstances. Israel has the duty to investigate the complaints and, if the facts alleged in the complaint are verified, prosecute and punish the persons responsible.

B'Tselem has written to the Judge Advocate General and to the Department for the Investigation of Police, in the Ministry of Justice, demanding that they immediately open investigations into these cases.

B'Tselem also called on the chief-of-staff and the minister of defense to issue a firm and unambiguous message to soldiers and officers that violence and humiliation of Palestinians will not be tolerated.

Six cases
1. Soldiers beat and abuse Mater Khamaiseh, a vegetable dealer from Jenin, near the 'Anabta checkpoint, 1 August 2006

Mater Khamaiseh was on his way back to Jenin from the vegetable market in Beita, a village south of Nablus. He knew that the army did not allow Jenin residents to cross the 'Anabta checkpoint, which is situated east of Tulkarm, so he bypassed the checkpoint. As he was driving, an army jeep with four soldiers inside stopped him. The soldiers removed him from the truck and led him to a nearby olive grove, where one of the soldiers fired a long volley of bullets over his head for no reason at all. Then the soldiers beat him all over his body, punching him and hitting him with their rifle butts, and kicking him. In his testimony, Khamaiseh said: "The blows really hurt…. More than once I thought they were about to kill me." One of the soldiers shot him in the hand and, a single shot to his stomach. Apparently, the bullets were blanks. His hand began to bleed and felt as if it were "on fire." The shot to the stomach caused him a terrible burning sensation and he went into shock. Later, the soldiers dragged him back to his truck, beating him on the way. They sat him in the truck's cabin. He managed to drive to Jenin and went to the hospital for treatment.

2. Soldiers fracture the hand of Na'im Ashtiyeh, 34, from Nablus District, who was on his way to work, near the 'Asira-Shamaliya checkpoint, 10 July 2006.

Na’im Ashtiyeh was caught by an Israeli Army patrol when he was on his way to Tubas, where he works in a Palestinian Authority ministry. He was trying to bypass the 'Asira a-Shamaliya checkpoint, which is located north of Nablus. The army does not let residents of Nablus District cross this checkpoint to go north, and the other two checkpoints leading north are closed to males from 17-35 years old. An army jeep with four soldiers suddenly pulled up to Ashtiyeh from behind while he was walking on a dirt road. Before he had a chance to say anything, one of the soldiers rushed out of the jeep and hit him on the right hand with a club, causing him great pain and swelling. The soldiers took his identity card and ordered him to go to the checkpoint to get it back. When he reached the checkpoint and went over to the soldiers to get his ID card, one of the soldiers at the checkpoint ordered him to stand on the side and wrapped him in barbed wire. He stayed like that for an hour and a half. The soldier then removed the barbed wire and told him to sit by the checkpoint. Forty minutes later, the soldier gave Ashtiyeh his ID card along with a slap and then let him leave. The X-ray taken at the hospital confirmed that his arm had been broken.

3. Soldiers beat Mu'awiyah Musa, 36, a taxi driver from Tulkarm, near the 'Anabta checkpoint, 23 July 2006

Mu'awiyah Musa was taking passengers from Tulkarm to Ramallah and tried to bypass the 'Anabta checkpoint because the checkpoint is closed to males from 17-35 years old. Soldiers in a jeep stopped the taxi and one of the soldiers pulled him out of the taxi and took him to the other side of the jeep. The soldier took his rifle and hit him hard in the stomach for no apparent reason. Two other soldiers kicked him. Then one of the soldiers put his rifle to Musa's temple, cocked the trigger, and threatened to kill him. Another soldier stopped the first soldier. The soldiers ordered the passengers to pick up Musa and put him in the taxi, and had one of the passengers drive the taxi back to Tulkarm.

4. Border Police officers beat Jawdat Gheith, 52, unconscious in front of his wife and children, Beit 'Awa checkpoint, 26 June 2006

Jawdat Gheith was riding with his wife and six children (aged nine months to fourteen years) in his car to visit relatives in Beit 'Awa. He was not familiar with the road and mistakenly entered a road forbidden to Palestinian traffic, a road that was for settlers only. When he got to the checkpoint at the entrance to Beit 'Awa, the border policemen at the checkpoint stopped him. They pulled him out of the car and punched him and hit him with the butts of their rifle and kicked him, all in front of his wife and children, who remained in the car. After beating him for about ten minutes, he lost consciousness. He woke up in a hospital in Hebron a few hours later, where he learned that, after he had lost consciousness, his wife fainted and was treated at the site. Gheith continues to suffer pain and has difficulty breathing. His children still suffer emotionally from the sight of their father being beaten.

5. Soldier beats Ibrahim ‘Atallah, 32, taxi driver from Bethlehem District, Etzion junction, 21 July 2006

Ibrahim ‘Atallah was on his way to pick up passengers when he saw his two brothers and his nephew being delayed at the Etzion junction, which has a checkpoint that is occasionally staffed. He stopped his taxi and went to see what happened. The soldier who was in the watchtower and who had stopped the three Palestinians, came down from the watchtower. He swore at ‘Atallah and struck him in the mouth and chin with the barrel of his rifle. Two Israeli policemen who were passing by distanced the soldier and prevented him from beating ‘Atallah any further. An officer from the Civil Administration came and sent ‘Atallah to the medical clinic in the nearby Efrat settlement, where the cut on his chin was stitched up.

6. Soldiers assault ‘Abdallah Khamis, 31, who was waiting in line with his wife and children, Huwarra checkpoint, 12 August 2006

'Abdallah Khamis was returning with his wife and two infant children after paying a condolence call. When they got to the Huwarra checkpoint, they entered the line for males over forty years old, women, and children. In the past, soldiers had allowed them to use that line. Some 700 people were waiting to cross the checkpoint. After waiting for about three hours, their turn came to cross, but the soldier checking the identity cards ordered Khamis to go to the end of the line. Khamis refused. When the soldier pushed his wife, Khamis grabbed his hand. Soldiers tried to cuff Khamis's hands, and ordered him to go where people being delayed in crossing were staying. When he refused, the solders began to beat him. One of the soldiers smashed his head against a wall, and another soldier hit him in the back of his neck with his rifle barrel. Other soldiers joined in the beating, which lasted for five minutes. Soldiers then took him to a room, beating him on the way. Khamis was later taken to the Ariel Police Station, where he was questioned and released on bond.

(23:20P),(20:20GMT)