The West Bank and the Gaza Strip

There was a significant rise in violence in the occupied territories during the year, which reached a peak in the popular uprising or intifada that began in December. The first major wave of disturbances erupted in the Gaza Strip in February and later spread to the West Bank. The protest in Gaza came in response to the deportation of a local activist accused of leading the Fath youth movement. The riots culminated in street clashes outside the Gaza Islamic University, where troops opened fire on students who burned tires. The Israeli policy regarding administrative detention drew sharp criticism, especially from international human rights groups which claimed that such measures were justifiable only when applied against people "actively engaged in violence against Israelis and not against political activists.".