CPTnet
9 August 2008
HEBRON: Update on ISC orphanages and schools

As the people who live and work at Islamic Charitable Society (ICS) orphanages and schools in Hebron nervously await the Israeli High Court decision that will determine whether the Israeli military will forcibly close their institutions, they fear that the Israeli military has already succeeded in a de facto closure.

"We are scheduled to open on 24 August," Rashid Rashid, a spokesman for the orphanages, told CPT. "But after all of the raids on facilities, confiscation of our supplies, and freezing of our assets, we do not have the money to open our doors. If schools cannot open, the orphanages also cannot open."

"There is also the difficulty of licensing," Rashid said. Every year the Palestinian Authority (PA) Ministry of Education gives licenses to the headmasters of the schools. This year, two weeks before the schools are scheduled to open, the principals have still not received their licenses. "We have operated under the Palestinian Authority since it was established in Palestine in 1995," added Rashid. "Why would they deny a license now when we need their help the most from the Israeli incursions, thefts, and closure orders?"

Children who have been with relatives for the summer are scheduled to return to the orphanages 24 August. In the summer, relatives can easily accommodate extra children, especially in the makeshift shelters where families go to live on their farmland. After the summer, when families need to return to their city dwellings, they have no space for the extra children. The orphanage is the only home these children have.

"We will open," said Rashid. "But we only have money for one month of school. Ramadan starts at the beginning of September. During Ramadan, donors like to break the fast with the orphans, and then they make donations. We need to be open during Ramadan so the donors can come to keep us going during the coming months.

The orphanage staff expressed its appreciation for all of the internationals who have visited and offered solidarity with the children who live there.

For more information on the orphanages, see http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com.

CPT has uploaded a video of a Hebron teen-are girl pleading for her school. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaReCTZUYig.

The video CPT took of the 30 April 2008 Israeli military raid on the sewing workshop at the Girls' orphanage is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc3lnMtls2A.