The belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces have continued their systematic aggression against the Palestinian people. In this context, these forces have violated the standards of the International Humanitarian Law, especially the Fourth Geneva Convention. The Israeli aggression has targeted all aspects of life in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces have continued to arrest a large number of Palestinian civilians while traveling in the West Bank and Gaza Strip or while leaving or coming back to them (West Bank and Gaza Strip) through border passages.

The Legal Aid Unit at al-Mezan Center for Human Rights has provided free of charge legal assistance to a number of Palestinians who have been arrested by Israeli forces and detained in Israeli prisons. This includes visiting them and defending them in the Israeli courts.

Following are details of a number of cases taken up by al-Mezan center:

1. Jihad al-Lahwany: A resident of Rafah. A policeman. Arrested at Bait Hanoun passage on 11/1/2001 and released on 25/2/2001.
2. Jamal al-Athamnah: Resident of Bait Hanoun. Arrested at Bait Hanoun passage on 8/2/2001 and released on 27/2/2001.
3. Kamal Hamdan: Resident of Bait Hanoun. Arrested at Bait Hanoun passage on 8/2/2001 and released on 15/3/2001.
4. Ziyad al-Hajj: Resident of an-Nuseirat. Works at the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs. Arrested at Rafah passage on 18/2/2001. He is still imprisoned.
5. Mustafa as-Saidawy: Resident of Jabalia refugee camp. Works at the Palestinian Legislative Council. Arrested at Bait Hanoun passage on 3/3/2001 and released on 28/3/2001.
6. Tariq at-Tabash:  Resident of Khan Younis. A policeman. Arrested at Bait Hanoun passage on 9/2/2001. He is still imprisoned.
7. Tawfeeq Mousa: A resident of ash-Shaikh Ridwan. Arrested at Rafah passage on 29/3/2001 and released on 25/4/2001.
8. Mohammed Misdiq al-Farra: A resident of Gaza. Arrested at Rafah passage on 21/2/2001. He is still imprisoned.
9. Salih Abu Hamid: A resident of Bany Suhaila. Arrested at Rafah passage on 26/4/2001. He is still imprisoned.
10. Mohammed Ayyad: A resident of ash-Shaikh Ridwan. Arrested at Jaljolia passage on 1/4/2001. He is still imprisoned.

In the same context, the belligerent Israeli Occupation Forces arrested Mr. Adnan al-Hajjar, Coordinator of the Legal Aid Unit at al-Mezan Center for Human Rights, while on the way back from Egypt at Rafah passage on 23/4/2001. Mr. al-Hajjar is still imprisoned.

On 9/5/2001, Tamiem Younis, a lawyer authorized by al-Mezan center to defend Mr. al- Hajjar, visited him in Ashkelon prison, and stated that no specific claims were made against Mr. al- Hajjar, and that the military court held to discuss his case extended his arrest by 30 days.

We, at al-Mezan center fort Human Rights, stress that most of the arrests of Palestinians that took place, are not legally justifiable, and thus constituting a grave violation to the principles of Human Rights.

We perceive the increasing number of arrests among the Palestinians as highly serious, and request the international community to immediately intervene to put an end to the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian civilians.