CPTnet
September 30, 2003

HEBRON DISTRICT: School children threatened in south Hebron hills

The Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron has replaced its two members,
Chris Brown and Kim Lamberty, who were attacked and injured on
yesterday morning by Israelis from the Ma'on settlement outpost. This
morning, September 30, the children from the village of Tuba were able to
reach school safely in al-Tuwani. An Israeli police jeep outside the Maon
settlement helped to ensure a peaceful journey. The District Coordinating
Officer (DCO) has confirmed the children's right to use the "settler road"
to go to school.

Unfortunately an Israeli army patrol entered al-Tuwani today warning
villagers that if CPT continued to accompany the schoolchildren along that
road, "there will be violence." The villagers are upset and confused by this
development.

The army patrol is clearly acting without proper authority, but that fact is
no comfort to villagers and their CPT accompaniers who must bear the
consequences the military's tacit support of the settlers' violence.

CPT members, along with the Italian group, Operation Dove and and the
Israeli group, Taayush, are present in the area at the request of
Palestinian villagers who are suffering repeated harassment from Israeli
settlers while Israeli authorities have failed to intervene.