178 Chapter One Patterns of Human Rights Violations Based on ICHR Complaints Received Complaints received by ICHR are an essential and important source in determining patterns of violations against Palestinian citizens, and an indication of the status of human rights. According to ICHR statistics in 2010, it received a total of (3,828) complaints, including human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip (WBGS). From these complaints, ICHR found the continued patterns of violations observed during previous years albeit at different paces. I ‐ Number of Complaints Received by ICHR During 2010 The number of complaints received by ICHR during 2010, compared with 2009, is an indication of deterioration or improvement in the situation of human rights in Palestine. During 2010, ICHR received (3,828) complaints on human rights violations, and attacks on public freedoms, whether by PNA civil or security service in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, of which there were (2,940) complaints in the West Bank, and (888) complaints in the Gaza Strip. However, ICHR received during 2009 (3,442) complaints, of which (2,449) in the West Bank and (994) in the Gaza Strip. These numbers show an increase in the number of complaints in 2010 compared to 2009 by (11%). It should be noted that the steady increase in the number of complaints received by ICHR during the past year and the preceding years is attributed to several factors, and one of the primary factors being the continued political division and its aggravation, which led to the deterioration of rights and freedoms and an increase in the number of human rights violations against Palestinian citizens on the one hand, and the spread of ICHR in the governorates of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the increased confidence of citizens in ICHR and its role as a national ombudsman, and a Complaint Office on the other hand.