Christian peacemakers witness settler attacks on At-Tuwani children
-14/11/06
On Satur
Christian peacemakers witness settler attacks on At-Tuwani children
-14/11/06
On Saturday 11 November at 2.15 pm Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement outpost of Havot Ma’on (Hill 833) attacked fourteen children from the Palestinian villages of Tuba and Magaer al-Abeed ñ reports Christian Peacemaker Teams.
The children attend school in the village of At-Tuwani, where CPT has been involved in nonviolent peacemaking for some time. They were returning home when the assault occurred.
Since October of 2004 the children have required an Israeli military or police escort to walk to and from school, because of repeated attacks by settlers from Hill 833 and the Ma’on settlement.
Last Saturday’s attack took place between the outpost and the village of Tuba after the military escort departed once the children had past the outpost. The soldiers did not wait to ensure that the children reached the village of Tuba safely.
The soldiers accompanying the children arrived over an hour late in At-Tuwani because they were occupied with preventing Palestinian farmers from plowing Palestinian land near Havot Ma’on.
The plowing also drew the attention of the settlers, who, after leaving the disputed field, gathered near Tuba on the path that the children would soon walk. When the children ran from the settlers, many dropped their books and bags, and one young girl lost her shoe in the chase. None of the children required medical attention from the attack.
Despite the military and police escort, the children have been attacked by settlers on numerous occasions, the most recent being in May 2006 during the last weeks of the school year.
The school in At-Tuwani opened for the 2006-2007 school year on 8 November 2006 and within the first week settlers are again attacking the children, points out CPT.
The Israeli Ministry of Defence has promised to dismantle the Havot Ma’on (Hill 833) outpost on numerous occasions because of settler violence but has yet to follow through on this promise.
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT, www.cpt.org) is an organization that seeks to enlist the whole church in conscious, nonviolent alternatives to war. It places teams of trained peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict.
Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Church of the Brethren and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations. It works with those of other faith or no faith on the ground.
Christian peacemakers witness settler attacks on At-Tuwani children
-14/11/06
On Saturday 11 November at 2.15 pm Israeli settlers from the illegal settlement outpost of Havot Ma’on (Hill 833) attacked fourteen children from the Palestinian villages of Tuba and Magaer al-Abeed ñ reports Christian Peacemaker Teams.
The children attend school in the village of At-Tuwani, where CPT has been involved in nonviolent peacemaking for some time. They were returning home when the assault occurred.
Since October of 2004 the children have required an Israeli military or police escort to walk to and from school, because of repeated attacks by settlers from Hill 833 and the Ma’on settlement.
Last Saturday’s attack took place between the outpost and the village of Tuba after the military escort departed once the children had past the outpost. The soldiers did not wait to ensure that the children reached the village of Tuba safely.
The soldiers accompanying the children arrived over an hour late in At-Tuwani because they were occupied with preventing Palestinian farmers from plowing Palestinian land near Havot Ma’on.
The plowing also drew the attention of the settlers, who, after leaving the disputed field, gathered near Tuba on the path that the children would soon walk. When the children ran from the settlers, many dropped their books and bags, and one young girl lost her shoe in the chase. None of the children required medical attention from the attack.
Despite the military and police escort, the children have been attacked by settlers on numerous occasions, the most recent being in May 2006 during the last weeks of the school year.
The school in At-Tuwani opened for the 2006-2007 school year on 8 November 2006 and within the first week settlers are again attacking the children, points out CPT.
The Israeli Ministry of Defence has promised to dismantle the Havot Ma’on (Hill 833) outpost on numerous occasions because of settler violence but has yet to follow through on this promise.
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT, www.cpt.org) is an organization that seeks to enlist the whole church in conscious, nonviolent alternatives to war. It places teams of trained peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict.
Originally a violence-reduction initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Church of the Brethren and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of Christian denominations. It works with those of other faith or no faith on the ground.