HEBRON: Update on orphanages and other Islamic Charity Society properties
April 15th, 2008
in:
CPTnet
15 April 2008
HEBRON: Update on orphanages and other Islamic Charity Society properties
by JoAnne Lingle
[Note: For previous descriptions of the situation facing Islamic Charity Society institutions, see, "HEBRON: Sunday, 31 March 2008, Day of Prayer for Hebron's orphans," <http://cpt.org/node/6968> and "HEBRON URGENT ACTION: Save the Hebron orphanages and schools," http://cpt.org/node/6984.]
On 7 April, 2008, the Israeli High Court granted the Israeli military an indefinite delay to provide full justification for the closure of the Hebron Girls and Boys schools, orphanages, and other properties owned by the Islamic Charitable Society (ICS).
On 11 April, CPTer Alwyn Knight and translator, Rasheed Rasheed, went to the Hebron Girls School and Orphanage to take photos for a website. Two Israeli soldiers had entered the sewing workshop of the school at 10:30 that morning, taking photos of the inventory and looking at the sewing machines and other equipment. Hundreds of beautifully sewn coats and dresses hung there as well as finished items on the shelves. The soldiers also visited the Al Huda Shopping Mall, which was hosting an exhibition of the students’ sewing. The soldiers told the students they had to remove their exhibits by Sunday, 13 April.
The soldiers told the school staff the orphans should leave the orphanage on Friday, 11 April but could return on Sunday, 13 April. Children often leave from Friday to Sunday every two weeks to visit relatives.
On 11 April, CPTer JoAnne Lingle and Mary Anne Grady-Flores, friend of the team, with translator, Rasheed visited the Al Shar’iyah Girls School and Orphanage. The orphanage was empty, the children having left to stay with relatives for the weekend. The soldiers had not sealed the door of the sewing workshop shut, and it appeared that the soldiers had not disturbed or taken away items.
From there, they went to the Al Huda Shopping Mall. Because of Friday noon prayers, the shops were closed. Soldiers had not sealed the doors shut.
At the Golden Medal Supermarket and the Rahma Bakery—both stores on the street level of a thirty-apartment building owned by the ISC, the shopkeepers said that four soldiers were there that day, 11 April, and told them they must vacate their stores by Sunday, 13 April. Two of the soldiers were officers; one was the Hebron Deputy Military commander. The soldiers took photos inside the shops and outside the building.
Monday night, 14 April, soldiers entered the Rahma Bakery, wrecked the oven, and took all the display cases, refrigerators, fixtures, equipment and most of the inventory. Upstairs, the soldiers destroyed heating ducts. This bakery provided bread for the orphanages.
15 April 2008
HEBRON: Update on orphanages and other Islamic Charity Society properties
by JoAnne Lingle
[Note: For previous descriptions of the situation facing Islamic Charity Society institutions, see, "HEBRON: Sunday, 31 March 2008, Day of Prayer for Hebron's orphans," <http://cpt.org/node/6968> and "HEBRON URGENT ACTION: Save the Hebron orphanages and schools," http://cpt.org/node/6984.]
On 7 April, 2008, the Israeli High Court granted the Israeli military an indefinite delay to provide full justification for the closure of the Hebron Girls and Boys schools, orphanages, and other properties owned by the Islamic Charitable Society (ICS).
On 11 April, CPTer Alwyn Knight and translator, Rasheed Rasheed, went to the Hebron Girls School and Orphanage to take photos for a website. Two Israeli soldiers had entered the sewing workshop of the school at 10:30 that morning, taking photos of the inventory and looking at the sewing machines and other equipment. Hundreds of beautifully sewn coats and dresses hung there as well as finished items on the shelves. The soldiers also visited the Al Huda Shopping Mall, which was hosting an exhibition of the students’ sewing. The soldiers told the students they had to remove their exhibits by Sunday, 13 April.
The soldiers told the school staff the orphans should leave the orphanage on Friday, 11 April but could return on Sunday, 13 April. Children often leave from Friday to Sunday every two weeks to visit relatives.
On 11 April, CPTer JoAnne Lingle and Mary Anne Grady-Flores, friend of the team, with translator, Rasheed visited the Al Shar’iyah Girls School and Orphanage. The orphanage was empty, the children having left to stay with relatives for the weekend. The soldiers had not sealed the door of the sewing workshop shut, and it appeared that the soldiers had not disturbed or taken away items.
From there, they went to the Al Huda Shopping Mall. Because of Friday noon prayers, the shops were closed. Soldiers had not sealed the doors shut.
At the Golden Medal Supermarket and the Rahma Bakery—both stores on the street level of a thirty-apartment building owned by the ISC, the shopkeepers said that four soldiers were there that day, 11 April, and told them they must vacate their stores by Sunday, 13 April. Two of the soldiers were officers; one was the Hebron Deputy Military commander. The soldiers took photos inside the shops and outside the building.
Monday night, 14 April, soldiers entered the Rahma Bakery, wrecked the oven, and took all the display cases, refrigerators, fixtures, equipment and most of the inventory. Upstairs, the soldiers destroyed heating ducts. This bakery provided bread for the orphanages.