Thursday, January 20, 2011

Schoolchildren in Hebron

Earlier this week I spent a couple of days in Hebron.  There is much to say and I will have to give greater thought to it.  I think I will begin my reflection by sharing a story.
It’s called A Palestinian Schoolboy in Hebron
“Mama, I don’t want to go to school today.”
“Why, my son?
“I don’t know…….I guess I just don’t like it anymore.”
“What…..you don’t like it?  You have always told me when you go to school, it’s very good.  What happened?”
“Well Mama….as you know….we go by the soldiers with the big guns.  I like how they look in their nice uniforms but they sometimes don’t seem to look very happy.  Sometimes I am afraid of them but my friends tell me not to worry and that they won’t hurt me.”
“Oh, I see.  Tell me more my son.”
“Yesterday as my friend and I were walking some other people came and started throwing stones at us.  You always told me that it is wrong to throw stones so we didn’t throw any back.  We just kept walking like you told us to do but I was really scared.  I wondered why the soldiers didn’t tell those people to stop throwing stones at us but they didn’t do anything to stop them.  I was very afraid and I really wanted to pick up a stone and throw it back at them.  And Mama that’s why I don’t want to go to school today.”

One of the responsibilities of the EA's in Hebron is to accompany children to school.  Israeli Zionists have occupied some buildings in Hebron.  In order to "protect" them from the Palestinians, the Israeli army has erected barriers and stationed soldiers within the overwhelmingly Palestinian city.  In order for Palestinian children to go to their schools they have to walk past settlers and soldiers.  The EA's accompany the children to and from school to provide a supportive presence to them.  These pictures I took will give you an idea of what they face on a daily basis. 


I will write more.

Susanne

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