CPTnet

25 July 2008

AT-TUWANI: Israeli settlers chase Palestinian children on their way to summer camp; Israeli military fails to protect children

[Note: According to the Geneva Conventions, the International Court of Justice in The Hague, and numerous United Nations resolutions, all Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal.  Most settlement outposts are considered illegal under Israeli law.]

On Wednesday 23 July, three Israeli settlers, one masked and wielding a stick, pursued fourteen Palestinian children who were on their way to a summer camp in At-Tuwani.  The children from the villages of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed waited thirty minutes for the Israeli military escort that should have accompanied them on the most direct road between the villages of Tuba and At-Tuwani.  When the military failed to arrive, the children began walking along a long path through the hills to At-Tuwani.  When the children neared the Israeli settlement outpost of Havat Ma'on, three settlers with two dogs came out from the outpost and began walking in the direction of the children. 

Members of the At-Tuwani team yelled at the children to alert them that settlers were coming at them from behind.  The children ran down and across a valley to a location further from the settlers.  They continued to At-Tuwani.  The settlers remained on a hill top near Havot Ma’on, watching the children as they walked toward the school.

The previous day, Tuesday 22 July, the military escort never arrived to escort the children to summer camp.  Seven children took a long path to the school.  They told the At-Tuwani team that at least eight other children did not attend summer camp because they were too afraid to come to school without an escort.  The mayor of At-Tuwani spoke with Israeli military to coordinate the escort for the children.  However, several military spokespersons and soldiers on the ground denied receiving orders to escort the children.

In 2004, the Israeli Knesset recommended that the Israeli military carry out a daily escort of the children of Tuba and Maghaer Al-Abeed to their school in At-Tuwani because settlers repeatedly attacked them.  In 2006, Israeli Minister of Defense stated Havot Ma’on outpost should be dismantled because of the settlers’ violence towards school children.  During the 2007-2008 school year, settlers used violence against these children on at least for fourteen occasions.