Tag: Checkpoint 56

Hebron school demonstrates for third day: “Without teachers there is no school”

13 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

For the third morning children and teachers from Qordoba Scool gathered on the H1 side of Checkpoint 56 at 7.30am. The children, with the support of their teachers and the Director of Education in Hebron, Nisreen Amro, peacefully protested against heightened “security measures” that were introduced by the Israeli Army on Tuesday 11th October 2011.

The protest was covered by local, national and international press.

School children as young as 6 years old had their lessons outside, sitting on the floor by the checkpoint while standing at intervals to passionately chant, “We will not return, we want our right to education.”

The Director of Education in Hebron, representatives from the Governor of Hebron’s office, and teachers from Qordoba School attempted to reason with the soldiers, however the army continued to refuse anyone entry through the checkpoint gate. The Israeli Army’s response to the children’s peaceful protest was to send approx 10 soldiers and border police through the checkpoint to push the children further away from the checkpoint entrance.

For the past seven years teachers have had an agreement with the Israeli army that they can pass through the checkpoint gate instead of  the metal detectors. However two days ago without giving prior notification the Israeli army changed the rules – they are currently insisting that everyone, including teachers, pregnant women and people with heart complaints/ pace makers must pass through the metal detector.

As previously reported by ISM the children’s impromptu protest on Tuesday 11th October resulted   in a number of children requiring hospital treatment after being hit (with the butts of rifles) and kicked by both the Israeli army and the Israeli Police. Initially ISM reported that 7 children were taken to hospital, however today the father of one of the injured children informed ISM that 9 children were taken to hospital with injuries (1 boy and 8 girls). Fortunately all 9 children were able to leave hospital after a few hours.

Today ISM volunteers interviewed 11 year old Yazan Sharbati, one of the boys violently dragged into the checkpoint by an Israeli Police Officer on Tuesday 11th October as seen in the following video.

Sharbati stated, “There were no teachers in the school and so we protested to the army that we wanted our teachers. The army told us to go back to school, we told them that without teachers there is no school.”

Sharbati was asked how he felt when the Policeman grabbed him and pushed him into the checkpoint.

Hebron students continue to advocate – Click here for more images

“I was so afraid that something bad was going to happen. He pushed me very hard,” he said.

When asked if he intends to continue protesting against the closure of the gate at Checkpoint 56 Sharbati replied, without hesitation, “Of course”.

The Director of Education for Hebron, Nisreen Amro, said to ISM volunteers “If the Israeli Army does not reverse their decision by Sunday, chalkboards will be brought to the checkpoint and lessons will be held here.”

At the end of the protest as ISM volunteers left the checkpoint they observed soldiers refusing to allow a far along, pregnant, Palestinian lady through the checkpoint gate. She and her toddler were forced to climb the steep hill next to the checkpoint in order to avoid the metal detector.

International volunteers will continue to observe and report on any future protests.

Teachers in Hebron give lessons at Checkpoint 56

12 October 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

This morning the pupils and teachers from Qutuba School protested against the treatment of teachers at checkpoint 56. When, for the second day running, the teachers were not allowed to use the checkpoint gate that they usually use, they refused to pass through. In response at 8 AM the school closed, and the pupils came out to take their lessons outside of the checkpoint.

Addressing the children at the beginning of a lesson one teacher said, “Until the teachers are allowed to pass around the checkpoint we will have our lessons here.”

At the same time thousands of Palestinians gathered near the municipality of Hebron in a solidarity demonstration with the hunger striking prisoners. Here there were speeches from the head of the prisoners club, Amjad Najjar and the governor of Hebron, Kamil Hamid. In the square where the demonstration took place there have been tents forming a solidatarity camp for the prisoners for the last one and a half weeks. The demonstration ended peacefully at 10am.

Lessons resume at Checkpoint 56 - Click here for more images

At the same time, away from the demonstration, in the old city, there were reports that some settlers had attacked Palestinians. The settlers reportedly threw stones at the Palestinians, and after a short while the Israeli Occupation Forces arrived. When the Palestinians did not disperse immediately, the soldiers shot tear gas canisters directly into the crowd and made 4 arrests. One of the detained men is Fatel Dendis, 20 who has learning difficulties. After half an hour of unrest the Palestinian Police arrived and dispersed the Palestinian protesters.

In an act of collective punishment the soldiers demanded that all traders in the Old City to close their shops immediately, and offered no indication of when they would be permitted to re-open.

Seven school children injured over tightened “security” measures in Tel Rumeida

11 October 2011 |  International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Tightened security at Tel Rumeida checkpoint cause an impromptu demonstration by the schoolchildren, resulting in seven injured children, and injuries to the headmaster. Teachers of Tel Rumeida’s school were told they must begin to pass through metal detectors and present their bags for search, despite the permission they have had for the past 7 years to pass through a separate gate. The rules have also been changed for those suffering heart complications, and pregnant women, who carry permits that normally would allow them to avoid the metal detectors. The children of the school emerged, chanting slogans and holding posters. Finally, the children exited the checkpoint to be with their teachers, and began classes on the sidewalk. Seven children reported injuries and six went to hospital. The head master of the school also reported injuries from soldiers aggressively handing her.

In Tel Rumeida, Hebron, around 7:30 Tuesday morning, the teachers of Tel Rumeida’s boy and girl school of grades 1-10 refused to submit to checks, instead beginning a silent demonstration by remaining outside the gate where they were refused entry. 9:00 am, the school children marched out of the school to the inward side of the checkpoint, demanding their right to education. Israeli military soldiers at times pushed the children. An Israeli police man grabbed two girls, about 12 years old, and dragged them out through the checkpoint, causing an uproar. He continued to grab outspoken children and pull them out of the checkpoint. Seven children ended up in the hospital with injuries from aggressive handling by soldiers. Some were pushed against a stone wall. A female settler drove through the demonstration, aggressively pushing both adults and children with her car. She drove around, and returned to drive through again. Many of Tel Rumeida’s inhabitants claimed that she pushes pedestrians with her car on a regular basis while driving through the streets that Palestinians can only walk on.

 

Demonstration of teachers and students in Tel Rumeida - Click here for more images

Before the children emerged from the school, a soldier was asked why restrictions are enforced only on the Palestinian residents, despite the violent reputation of the settlers. He replied, “I also don’t agree, but I have a mission to protect the Jewish people. I don’t want to be here.” Their batallion was newly transferred to this area, and soldiers said that their commander had come the day before and changed the rule. As the kids began the demonstration, the head of the school health department, Mohammed Abutherei was detained in a police jeep for at least half an hour because he was unable to control the over 100 children. “Police threatened that if I did not control the students, Tel Rumeida would no longer have a school” said Abutherei.

For the past seven years, teachers, those with heart complications, and pregnant women have passed through a gate without a metal detector.

Several of the teachers exclaimed that they will continue to hold classes on the street until the checkpoint’s rules are reverted. More protests are being planned.