Amidst Israel’s continued policy of closure and isolation of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli authorities pursue arrest and coercion at Erez Crossing in attempts to extract information from Palestinians who need to move in and out of the Gaza Strip through the Crossing. The recent arrest is of patient Ahmed Abed Rabbo, while he was on his way to a Palestinian hospital in the West Bank.

According to Al Mezan’s monitoring and documentation, at approximately 11:00 am on Sunday, 15 November 2015, the Israeli authorities arrested patient Ahmed Rabee’ Abed Rabbo, 31, while on his way to Surgicare Batounya in the West Bank where he was scheduled for a cornea transplant in his right eye. In Mariam Abed Rabbo’s affidavit to Al Mezan, his sister – who was escorting him - stated that the Israeli security summoned her brother for an interview upon entering the Crossing and according to prior coordination. Her brother had been in the interview for around an hour when Mariam was approached by a soldier who informed her that her brother had been arrested. Mariam left the crossing and went home. Ahmed Abed Rabbo is married with four children. 

According to Al Mezan’s documentation, since the beginning of 2015 Israeli forces have arrested 36 Palestinians at Erez Crossing. Among those arrested, four are patients and 26 are merchants. The Israeli authorities abuse the Gaza-Israel crossing to coerce Palestinians from Gaza in order to extract information about their families, communities and neighbors; the practice includes arrest and detention. The Israeli authorities attempt to hinge passage through Israel on collaboration with the authorities.

Palestinians crossing through Erez are largely patients trying to reach urgent medical care at hospitals in the West Bank and Israel as well as merchants on business. The Israeli policies constitutes a violation of the right to freedom of movement; the denial or delay of medical care amounts to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, amounting to torture.  The violations are part and parcel of Israel’s policy of closure and siege of the Gaza Strip, which amounts to a form of collective punishment, in violation of international law.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns these practices and calls for the international community to uphold its obligations under international law and oblige Israel to respect international legal principles including the complete prohibition on torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.  The closure of Gaza, as a mechanism that violates both human rights law and international humanitarian law, must be lifted without delay. Accountability for violations of international law and access to justice for victims is paramount to breaking the cycle of violations. 

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