Israeli military also confirmed the shooting incident, saying that Israeli soldier fired at him after they spotted the approach of a Palestinian man who was holding a pistol.

However, according to Israel's initial investigation, the pistol found in the hand of the slain boy is a fake one, which was made of plastic only.

Israeli military explained that the soldiers stationed in the checkpoint, where the boy was killed, are more strained after an Israeli soldier was shot dead by a Palestinian gunman in August.

"About 130 settlements were constructed either entirely or partially on private Palestinian land. Around 60 square km of land used by the settlements is actually private Palestinian land," the report claimed.

The report singles out the two largest settlements, both of which have city status, saying that 86.4 percent of Ma'ale Adumim, and 35.1 percent of Ariel settlement, were built on Palestinian land.

The report pointed out that "the vast majority of settlement construction was done against the law of the land and the Supreme Court ruling and therefore unauthorized...The state has been taking advantage of the weakened status of the Palestinians in order to steal their land."

Peace Now said it had forwarded the information to Attorney General Meni Mazuz, asking him to order an immediate investigation into the findings and bring those responsible to justice.

The head of the Israel forces' central command, Major General Yair Naveh, issued the order banning cars with Israeli (yellow) number plates from transporting Palestinians from the West Bank and the Jordan Valley unless the driver has a special permit, which must be applied for in advance, with a separate application for each passenger.

These instructions will come into force sixty days after their announcement, meaning that as of 19 January 2007, anyone who violates this rule will be legally prosecuted.

When the 'apartheid road' system was first fully implemented in 2005, it was widely criticized both by Palestinian leaders and internationally. At that time, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said, "If they go ahead (and make the road restrictions permanent) it is the official introduction of an apartheid system. This scheme ... would destroy any effort to revive a meaningful peace process."

With the new road system now in place throughout the West Bank, Israeli drivers enjoy full access to multi-lane highways built across Palestinian farmland and villages, while Palestinians are forced to ride taxis (as private Palestinian cars are not allowed to travel at all beyond the owner's hometown) on meandering, single lane routes that constantly change as new restrictions are enforced.

Some 80% of the population is extremely poor, living on less than $2 a day. A majority of the population is dependent on food aid from international donors.

In the past four months, the Israeli military has killed over 300 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Over half of those killed were unarmed civilians who did not participate in the fighting. Among the dead, 61 were children.

About 70% of Gaza's potential workforce is out of work or without pay.

On 28 June, Israel bombed Gaza's only independent power station, which produced 43% of the electricity needed by the residents in Gaza. Since then, most of the population has electricity between 6 and 8 hours each day, with disastrous consequences on water supply, sewage treatment, food storage, hospital functioning and public health.

The Gaza Strip is almost entirely sealed off from the outside world, with virtually no way for Palestinians to get in or out. Exports have been reduced to a trickle; imports are limited to essential humanitarian supplies.

Israel cannot shirk its responsibility for this growing crisis. Even after its Disengagement in 2005, Israel continues to hold decisive control over central elements of Palestinian life in the Gaza Strip:

Israel continues to maintain complete control over the air space and territorial waters.

Israel continues to control the joint Gaza Strip-West Bank population registry, preventing relocation between the West Bank and Gaza, and family unification.

Israel controls all movement in and out of Gaza, with exclusive control over all crossing points between Gaza and Israel, and the ability to shut down the Rafah crossing to Egypt.

Israeli ground troops conduct frequent military operations inside Gaza .

Israel continues to exercise almost complete control over imports and exports from the Gaza Strip.

Israel controls most elements of the taxation system of the Gaza Strip, and since February has withheld tax monies legally owed to the PA, and amounting to half of the to tal PA budget.

The broad scope of Israeli control in the Gaza Strip creates a strong case for the claim that Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip continues, along with an obligation to ensure the welfare of the civilian population. Regardless of the legal definition of the Gaza Strip, Israel bears legal obligations regarding those spheres that it continues to control. Israel has the right to defend itself. However, all military measures taken by Israel must respect the provisions of international humanitarian law.

The following Israeli human rights organizations call on the international community to ensure that Israel respects the basic human rights of residents of the Gaza Strip, and that all parties respect international humanitarian law:

B'Tselem: the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
Association for Civil Rights in the Israel
Amnesty International - Israel Section
Bimkom: Planners for Planning Rights
HaMoked: Center for the Defense of the Individual
Gisha: Center for the Legal Protection of Freedom of Movement
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
Public Committee Against Torture in Israel
Rabbis for Human Rights

Checkpoints were set up along the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway, causing traffic jams near the entrance to Jerusalem. The policemen working to direct the traffic called on drivers to come to Jerusalem through the Jerusalem-Modiin Road (Road 443).

According to reports of the local Yedioth Aharonot newspaper, the Israeli defense establishment has recently received 15 terror warnings mainly from the northern West Bank and Gaza, which involve bombings, rocket fire and kidnappings.