In the past two weeks, the situation in the South Hebron Hills has become increasingly dangerous for Palestinian children.

Members of Operation Dove and Christian Peacemaker Teams have twice witnessed settlers grazing sheep directly in the path of the Palestinian children from Maghayir al-Abeed and Tuba when they were walking home from school in At-Tuwani.  Because settlers have physically attacked children along this route in the past, and made death threats against them earlier this school year, the children are terrified by the presence of these settlers.  Since an incident on 24 March 2009 in which settlers were present at the end of the children's walk home, internationals and the children have repeatedly asked the soldiers to walk with the children until they are out of danger.  (See http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2009/03/28/tuwani-israeli-army-refuses-escort-palestinian-school-children-past-settlers.)  On 1 April 2009, settlers again came onto the land between the outpost of Havat Ma'on and the village of Tuba while the children were walking.  Members of CPT and Operation Dove were present and the children ran towards them crying and very frightened.