by ISM Hebron, January 23rd
Today in Hebron a young boy, nine years old, from the Haded family was playing with his ball near the Jewish cemetery off Tel Rumeida Street when his ball rolled onto the cemetery grounds.
Soldiers near the area saw the boy chase after his ball and decided this was an arrestable offense. The boy’s friends reported to locals immediately that he had been arrested by the IOF for playing with his ball. After arresting the boy and detaining him for an hour in the cold he was released to his family.
This is merely the latest incident to show that all Palestinians, regardless of age, face severe restrictions of movement in the Tel Rumeida district of Hebron. Both at play and at home the lives of Palestinians are not their own in Tel Rumeida. On Sunday 21st January the IOF invaded the Abu Heikel home in Tel Rumeida, forcing the family to stand outside in the cold for half an hour, while they searched the house, without giving any reason for doing so.
On Thursday at 2pm Hebronites will come together at a rally at the Tel Rumeida checkpoint to denounce settler violence and the closure of the main road through the city centre, Shuhada Street.