AC writes:
Reports are coming in from Gaza that the IDF is firing at civilians and
farmers accompanied by international volunteers as human shields. An account [from International Solidarity Movement], with unnerving video:
3rd February, farmers and Human Rights Workers [HRWs] were able to harvest the parsley crop
for only half an hour, before soldiers again began to shoot. A number
of shots were fired into the air, before the soldiers started to aim in
the direction of the farmers and international accompaniment. Bullets
were heard to whiz past, close to people's heads.
The soldiers continued to shoot on the group, despite the fact that
many members of the group had their arms in the air and were wearing fluorescent vests to make them highly visible, and identify them as
Human Rights Workers; had erected a banner indicating that the farmers and accompaniment were civilians; contact had been made with the
Israeli army to advise them that Palestinian civilians and
internationals would be working in the area; the various international
embassies had been advised of the planned accompaniment; and the
internationals were announcing their presence via a megaphone –
demanding that the soldiers stop shooting on unarmed civilians.
With internationals acting as human shields, the farmers – after
initially lying down to avoid being shot – attempted to continue
harvesting. After a few moments, however, the shooting intensified and
farmers decided to leave the area, rather than be killed.
Internationals announced on the megaphone that the group was leaving
the area – asking that the soldiers halt their fire. Instead, as the
group started to leave, the shooting further intensified in rapidity
and proximity. Even after the group had taken refuge in a house,
approximately 1km from the Green Line, the soldiers continued to shoot
at nearby houses that were demolished during the recent Israeli
Operation Cast Lead.
Another account from east of Khan Younis (with pictures):
It would have been hard to miss or mistake us, with fluorescent yellow vests and visibly unarmed–our hands were in the air.
Via bullhorn, we re-iterated our presence to the soldiers, informing
them we were all unarmed civilians, the farmers were rightfully working
their land, the soldiers were being filmed by an Italian film crew. We
also informed some of our embassies of the situation: "we are on
Palestinian farmland and are being shot at by Israeli soldiers on the
other side of the border fence."
…As the cracks of gunfire rang more frequently and louder, the shots
closer, those of the farmers who hadn't already hit the ground did so,
sprawling flat for cover. The international observers continued to
stand, brightly visible, hands in the air, bullhorn repeating our
message of unarmed presence. The shots continued, from the direction
of 3 or 4 visible soldiers on a mound hundreds of metres from us. With
my eyeglasses I could make out their shapes, uniforms, the jeep…
Certainly with their military equipment they could make out our faces,
empty hands, parsley-loaded cart…
There was no mistaking the situation or their intent: pure harassment.
These
incidents have been justified by the IDF by declaring buffer zones
within Gaza. Israel historically has destroyed homes and again driven
Palestinians from their land to create these buffer zones, leaving a
barren no man's land in their place. The buffer zones render private
land off limits to its owners. The practice has been amply documented
by Human Rights Watch (here & here), the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (here & here), and the media and individuals
on the ground. It is strictly forbidden under international law (to say
nothing of the practice of firing at clearly unarmed civilians tending
to their fields):
"Private property cannot be confiscated by the occupier," states the ICRC.
Article 46 of the Fourth Geneva Convention:
"In so far as they have not been previously
withdrawn, restrictive measures taken regarding protected persons shall
be cancelled as soon as possible after the close of hostilities.
Restrictive measures affecting their property shall
be cancelled, in accordance with the law of the Detaining Power, as
soon as possible after the close of hostilities."
Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention:
"Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or
personal property belonging individually or collectively to private
persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social
or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such
destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations."
Denying access to the land of and firing at
clearly unarmed civilians with their hands raised in the air 1km away
from the location of the occupying soldiers is hardly "absolutely necessary."
The practice of creating buffer zones is in
effect one of land usurpation, the most obscene instance of which is the
prison and annexation wall in the West Bank.
The above is but one example of the persecution and humiliation
wrought by occupation. It is a distortion of reality to focus on the
intermittent wars and the opening shots and ceasefires as spectacles of
blood and irregularity, for every day under occupation is its own wicked war.
