In May 2005, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights completed its sixth year of continued defense and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights were ongoing, manifesting themselves most severely in the restricted movement of individuals and goods, which has negatively affected economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights in the OPT; thousands of workers are denied access to their workplaces, patients are prevented from reaching hospitals and students are restricted from joining universities located in the West Bank, Jerusalem or abroad.
Moreover, extrajudicial assassinations and aerial and artillery bombardment by IOF in the Gaza Strip increased, whereas other direct violations, such as killings and house demolitions decreased.