The Israeli occupation forces continue their mass punishment procedures against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Three days after their declaration that they will tighten the siege around these territories they entered and re-occupied parts of several Palestinian towns.
It is worth mentioning that this siege has been imposed on the Palestinian territories since 9/10/2000, despite the Israeli frequent claims of easing it.
In a new, dangerous escalation, the Israeli occupation forces have entered Tulkarem, north of the West Bank, today 21/1/2002 at dawn.
Eyewitnesses said that about fifty tanks entered the town from four directions under helicopter cover.
They entered from the western part near Khaduri College, the eastern part through Nur Shams Refugee Camp, the northern part near Shwiki area and the southern part near Artah area in the town.
The incursion was accompanied by intensive shelling towards houses and civil establishments and a curfew was declared through loud speakers.
In addition, these forces prevent anyone from entering or leaving the town.
This incursion resulted in the killing two Palestinians, Khaldun Ma’arik, 17-years-old, and Jalal Hassuna, 35-years-old, both from Tulkarem refugee Camp and the injury of many others.
Moreover, after the occupation forces took control of the town, they broke into many houses and buildings, searched and occupied them.
The Center was informed that two buildings possessed by Mahmud Abu Safiya and Salim Diyab, the house of the Tulkarem Mayor, Mahmud aj-Jallat and a commercial compound were turned into military watchtowers.
These forces have arrested many Palestinians, whose fate is still unknown till this moment.
In the context of their continuous aggression against Palestinian medical teams, the Israeli forces blocked the way of an ambulance, owned by the Palestinian Red Crescent Association, to the Eastern area of Tulkarem to take a patient to hospital.
It is worth noting that Israeli jets bombed the PA security compound in Tulkarem Friday 18/1/2002.
Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights is highly concerned with the Israeli continuous aggression, which constitute was crimes, against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The center is particularly worried for the frequent Israeli incursions inside Palestinian towns, which resulted in the severe damage and destruction of residences and civil premises, and the siege imposed on the territories.
The Center asserts that these procedures are only part of the Israeli policy of collective punishment used against Palestinian civilians which aims at causing as much loss in souls and property among them as possible.
As such, the Center calls the international community, especially the High Contracting Parties to the fourth Geneva Convention, to intervene immediately to put an end to the Israeli occupation forces continuous breaches to the Convention and guarantee the implementation of the Convention in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
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