Executive Summary
1. The Israeli Occupation’s policies and violations and their
impact on the ability of the State of Palestine to fulfill its
obligations in relation to the human rights in Palestine
The Israeli occupation constituted the most prominent challenge hindering
the efforts of the State of Palestine to safeguard the human rights of
the Palestinians in 2017. It kept being the primary obstacle hindering
Palestine’s ability to meet its obligations under the international human
rights conventions to which Palestine became a party since 2014, amidst
the continuous arbitrary actions and systematic policies of the occupation
authorities against the Palestinian lives, lands, rights, and freedoms.
The occupation forces continued targeting the lives of Palestinian people
whereas the number of Palestinian martyrs reached 84, including 15
children, in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Further, the occupation authorities continued withholding the bodies of
15 Palestinian martyrs. In 2017, Israel launched wide campaigns to arrest
many citizens; as they arrested 6742 citizens, including 1467 children
and 156 women and girls. Children arrest constituted about 21.8% of
total arrests. The imprisonment of 12 representatives of the Palestinian
Legislative Council continued. Total number of Palestinian prisoners and
detainees in the occupation prisons reached 6500 by the end of 2017,
out of which 350 children, 58 women, and 22 journalists. The number of
administrative prisoners reached around 450 as the occupation authorities
issued 1119 decisions of administrative arrest; ranging from new decisions
and renewal of previous decisions for administrative arrest.
The demolition of Palestinian houses and facilities continued; 206
houses and 205 facilities were demolished. The demolitions in Gaza led
to displacement of 659 Palestinian persons and affected the livelihood
of more than 6600 other persons. The occupying forces set nearly 5382
unannounced roadblocks which hindered the movement of individuals and
goods. The residential communities were raided at least 6396 times in the
West Bank and Gaza Strip governorates.
The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR)
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