Forwarded by ‘Mazet’ – an Umhlali doing solidarity work in Palestine
SUMMARY OF EVENTS:
Israeli soldiers beat seven children at a checkpoint near the Cordoba School in Hebron last week.
Ecumenical Accompaniers were called to the scene and were informed that Israeli Soldiers refused to allow teachers to pass through the gate next to the container at Checkpoint 56. A new military commander in the area had decided that teachers must pass through the metal detector at the checkpoint, contrary to previous agreements. The teachers refused, and stood in protest. When the children realized why their teachers were not in class, they went back to the checkpoint and joined them in solidarity. Soldiers began hitting children with their rifle butts and kicking them in the legs to disperse the crowd, hospitalizing six girls and one boy, aged between nine and 13.
Soldiers also kicked Ms. Ebtisam Al-Junaidi, Principle of the Cordoba School, in the legs but she was not hospitalized.
NOTE: Teachers have been coming to the checkpoint everyday since this incident happened to protest the new military measure.
THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION:
The right to education is protected under Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), the International Covenant on Economic, Social And Cultural Rights (1966), the Convention on the Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women (1979), and the Convention On The Rights of The Child (1989). Teachers and students should be guaranteed free access to educational institutions, regardless of their ethnic and religious background.
MAKE A DIFFERNCE:
We encourage you to:
· Forward this email to your networks
· Inform your representative in parliament about what is happening in Shuhada Street
· Contact the following officials and call on them to uphold the right of Palestinian teachers and students to access educational institutions without the threat of violence:
o Your Ambassador and/or Consul General in Israel
o The Israeli Ambassador in your country
o Israeli Minister of Defense:
§ Ehud Barak
§ Ministry of Defence
§ Fax: +972 3 691 6940/696 2757
§ Email: minister@mod.gov.il
§ Salutation: Dear Minister
o Israeli Military Judge Advocate General:
§ Major General Avihai Mandelblit
§ Fax: +972 3 569 4526/608 0366
§ Email: avimn@idf.gov.il
§ Salutation: Dear Judge Advocate General
o Israeli Military Chief of Staff
§ Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz
§ Fax: +972 3 691 6940/ 697 6218
§ Salutation: Dear Lieutenant-General