Eerily Quiet
Since violence engulfed Hebron after what Amnesty International deemed the extrajudicial execution of 18 year old Hadil Hashlamoun at the end of September, the old city area of Hebron has been hit hard. People are afraid to come to the souq and so the street is largely empty. The shopkeepers are feeling the pinch as tour groups and others no longer walk through and shop. Many of them open without making anything. On some days there are shops that don’t open at all. It has become more of a ghost town again. Our friends in the souq have asked CPTers to encourage people to come to Hebron and to visit the old city. They don’t want to be forced to close. There is a very real concern that if shops close due to lack of business, that this will be encouragement for settlement expansion in Hebron’s old city.
Broken Doors, Broken Lives
While walking through the souk numerous shopkeepers told us stories of their home, their shop, or their neighbours shop being raided.
This man showed us the broken lock and door to his shop, explaining that he has five children, and can barely afford bread and medical treatment he needs, let alone pay to have the door to his shop fixed, after it has been broken by soldiers.
Kindergarten Checkpoint
A concerning development by the kindergarten where CPTers accompany children to school – in the last week a checkpoint occupied by Israeli Border Police has been moved up from the lower street to the sidewalk area outside the kindergarten and neighbouring Palestinian homes. Before it was moved, the checkpoint was positioned across the street from the broken path the children walk up to get to school. In essence they weren’t really passing through a checkpoint on their way to and from school. This move forces our small friends to walk much closer to these heavily armed adults and to pass through a checkpoint to access their school.
Illegal Arrests
Two brothers, ages 10 and 11, were arrested from their home, supposedly for stone-throwing. Under Israeli Military law, no child under the age of 12 can be arrested. Additionally, when taken behind the gate at Bab-il-Balediyya, the Israeli military did not allow their father to accompany them, further violating their rights and protections as children. The 11-year-old was released within a half hour. The ten-year-old was taken away in a military jeep.
Teary Morning
At the Qitoun checkpoint, Israeli border police shot 18 canisters of teargas as children were walking to school. More gas was shot, but CPTers could not get an accurate count beyond 18, as the gas was too strong to stay near to count.
Taking Aim
After a “relatively quiet” week at the Qitoun checkpoint, Israeli Border Policemen shot a torrent of teargas towards school children on Thursday. This is all part of the wall of violent repression that children face on their way to school.
Kindergarten Friends
A few of our kindergarten friends enjoying time together at school. CPT accompaniment of kindergarteners resumed this week.