CPTnet
6 April 2009
AT-TUWANI URGENT ACTION: Ask Israeli military to fulfill its obligation to protect children


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.

Collusion between the current Israeli military brigade in the South Hebron Hills and area settlers became evident on Sunday 5 April 2009 when soldiers took three Palestinian boys from the village of Juwayya, brought them inside of the settlement of Ma'on and handed them over to six masked settlers who kicked and punched them.  (See http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2009/04/05/tuwani-masked-settlers-beat-three-palestinian-children-shoot-palestinian-shepherds.)

For years, armed adult settlers have attacked, threatened, and harassed the children along the path from Tuba to Tuwani.  Since settlers constructed a gate across the road one year ago, the soldiers who are supposed to escort the children to and from school have refused to walk with the children far enough to ensure their safety.

CPT is asking its constituents to fax the IDF Public Appeals office, or communicate via its website the following message:

Subject: Request to Commander Ben Moha

Palestinian school children from Tuba and Maghayir-al-Abeed must walk past militant settlers from Ma'on and Havat Ma'on to attend school in At-Tuwani.  The Knesset recommended in 2004 that the IDF escort these children.  Currently soldiers refuse to escort the children far enough to ensure their safety.  In order to do so they must accompany the children all the way past the Ma'on chicken barns and past any settlers present.

The Public Appeals Fax is 011-972-3-569-9400.  People sending faxes will have more space to write, and may wish to add that settlers used violence against the school children on fourteen occasions in the 2007-08 school year and on two occasions during the current school year.

The link for communicating via the website is http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/Contact+US/.
Please include Commander Ben Moha's name in the subject line.  Space permits only seventy-five words.  This communication venue functions erratically, so if it does not initially permit you to send your message, try again later, or send a fax.

For a complete report on the school escort, including maps, photographs and interviews with the children, please see "A Dangerous Journey" at www.cpt.org/files/Dangerous-Journey-Summary-2008.pdf