Followup on Al-Bweireh
December 21st, 2009
Here's the follow-up on what I posted yesterday. I was out at Al-Bweireh today to hammer out details. kk
AL-KHALIIL: Settlers attack schoolchildren in al-Bweireh neighborhood
21 December 2009
by Ryan Shiffer
Two settlers from the Givat Ha Harsina settlement attacked seven-year-old Amar Zatari this past Wednesday, 16 December, while he, a brother and cousin were walking home from school. The two young men threw stones at the three boys and, along with a dog, chased them. In his panic to get away Amar tripped and fell on his face. His twelve-year-old brother ran back, scooped him up and raced to the safety of the closest house in the Al-Bweireh neighborhood.
This attack is the latest of many over the past few years in the neighborhood of al-Bweireh, on the outskirts of Al-Khaliil. Settlers from Givat Ha Harsina, which borders the neighborhood, have hurled stones at and harassed Palestinian children returning home from school for years, but the situation worsened seven months ago after settlers moved into a makeshift outpost located about forty meters behind a Palestinian home in al-Bweireh. The outpost settlers own dogs that they use to attack and threaten al-Bweireh residents. Their presence on the hilltop overlooking the neighborhood is a source of anxiety for the forty families living there.
Several weeks ago, a settler on horseback attempted to snatch Amar’s sister, Shahad al- Za’atari. Their mother told CPT that Amar is so afraid to walk home by himself that he walks to the Jr. high school his brother attends and sits with him in class for an hour-and-a-half each day until his brother’s classes are dismissed.
Amar’s father went to the police station on Thursday 17 December to file a complaint. The police said they had to interview Amar himself. When he came to the station, he asked the seven-year-old if he had any pictures of his attackers.
CPT has been responding to a request from al-Bweireh residents to be present in the neighborhood as their children return home from school.
21 December 2009
by Ryan Shiffer
Two settlers from the Givat Ha Harsina settlement attacked seven-year-old Amar Zatari this past Wednesday, 16 December, while he, a brother and cousin were walking home from school. The two young men threw stones at the three boys and, along with a dog, chased them. In his panic to get away Amar tripped and fell on his face. His twelve-year-old brother ran back, scooped him up and raced to the safety of the closest house in the Al-Bweireh neighborhood.
This attack is the latest of many over the past few years in the neighborhood of al-Bweireh, on the outskirts of Al-Khaliil. Settlers from Givat Ha Harsina, which borders the neighborhood, have hurled stones at and harassed Palestinian children returning home from school for years, but the situation worsened seven months ago after settlers moved into a makeshift outpost located about forty meters behind a Palestinian home in al-Bweireh. The outpost settlers own dogs that they use to attack and threaten al-Bweireh residents. Their presence on the hilltop overlooking the neighborhood is a source of anxiety for the forty families living there.
Several weeks ago, a settler on horseback attempted to snatch Amar’s sister, Shahad al- Za’atari. Their mother told CPT that Amar is so afraid to walk home by himself that he walks to the Jr. high school his brother attends and sits with him in class for an hour-and-a-half each day until his brother’s classes are dismissed.
Amar’s father went to the police station on Thursday 17 December to file a complaint. The police said they had to interview Amar himself. When he came to the station, he asked the seven-year-old if he had any pictures of his attackers.
CPT has been responding to a request from al-Bweireh residents to be present in the neighborhood as their children return home from school.