Settlers assault Palestinian School Children and Internationals escorting the children near Hebron

Sunday July 27, 2008 21:01

by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinian school children and international peace workers as they were escorting the children in At-Tuwani in the Hebron region Sunday morning.

Israeli settlers invading At Tuwani village. A CPTer (beside soldier) is videotaping & getting in way (Photo: CPT)

Janet Benvie, member of the Christian Peace Makers Team (CPT) in Hebron, told IMEMC that settlers attacked the children and internationals who accompany them as they were walking from the village of Tuba to a summer camp in the village of At-Tuwani, both in the southern Hebron hills.

Settlers threw stones at the children and their accompaniers and wounded Joel Gullege, a CPT member from the United States. Settlers then kicked him on his legs, took his camera away and beat him both with the camera and their fists. Gullege has been taken to the hospital for treatment.

According to CPT, the Israeli army has rejected a number of requests by the group to provide escort to the children because of anticipated settler assaults.

CPT is a Christian organization arose from a call in 1984 for Christians to devote the same discipline and self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war. CPT function in conflict areas, including Iraq, Chiapas in Mexico, and Hebron in Palestine.

The group has maintained a permanent presence in Hebron since June 1995. Team members stand with Palestinians and Israeli peace groups engaged in nonviolent opposition to Israeli military occupation, collective punishment, settler harassment, home demolitions and land confiscation.

They have been continuously subject to army and settler harassment as they escort Palestinian children or farmers to and from their schools and workplaces.