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Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinian Children, Internationals on Way Home from Summer Camp

Written by Mark Van Steenwyk : July 28, 2008

This just released from CPT:

27 July 2008

AT-TUWANI - At 1:50 pm, on Sunday, 27 July at least three Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian children and two internationals as they walked to their village of Tuba.  The children had been attending summer camp in the village of At-Tuwani.  As the fourteen children and two internationals, from Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), were walking in a valley south of the illegal settlement outpost of Havot Ma’on, one masked settler came down the hill, throwing stones with a slingshot.  The children and CPTe Jan Benvie ran ahead, but other settlers were approaching them from the opposite side of the valley.  None of the stones thrown by the settlers struck the children, aged between 6 and 15 years old, and they were able to run to safety.

CPTer Joel Gulledge was filming the attack.  When the masked settler saw Gulledge with the video camera, he began directing his stones at Gulledge. The settler hit Gulledge in the leg with a rock and he was unable to run. The settler then ran to him, wrested the camera from him, and began beating him with a rock and the camera.  After that, the settler ran off with the camera.

On 22 July, the military did not escort the children.  Only seven children were willing to risk walking alone to At-Tuwani.  The children informed CPT that at least eight other children did not attend the summer camp because they were too afraid to walk without a military escort.  On the morning of 23 July, the army again refused to escort the children.  The children were chased by three settlers, one of whom was masked and carrying a stick, while they walked unescorted to the summer camp.  On 26 July, a military personnel informed internationals that the army would no longer provide an escort for the children, who were waiting for the army to arrive while four settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement outpost of Havot Ma’on shouted at the children.  The personnel would not give the name and brigade of the commander refusing to provide the escort.  When the international explained the dangerous situation for the children, the military personnel said, “I don’t think the settlers will attack the children.”

In October 2004, Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian schoolchildren and internationals in the same area as the attack on the 27th.  Two internationals were hospitalized and, after international media coverage of the attack, the Israeli Knesset recommended that the Israeli military provide a daily escort for the children to go to and from school.

Mark Van Steenwyk is the general editor of Jesus Manifesto. He is a Mennonite pastor (Missio Dei in Minneapolis), writer, speaker, and grassroots educator. He lives in South Minneapolis with his wife (Amy), son (Jonas) and some of their friends.


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Comments

Viewing 10 Comments

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    While I don't want to read into your motivation for posting this, it does feel a little like you want me to think about how horrible the Israelis are. One wonders how many times the tables have been turned? Understand that I think the violence on both sides is wrong, the Palestinian terror and Israels over the top retaliation.

    Maybe I missed the point, But doesn't this happen daily there, is not the entire region held in fear because of the violence of a few?

    All that aside I pray for the work and safety of the CPT workers. I think they are doing good things.
    • ^
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    No, my motivation is much simpler than that. I just post CPT news releases when they are sent to me...which is usually whenever there is a conflict of any sort involving CPTers.
    • ^
    • v
    ok, that's cool. :) For some reason it just felt weird to me.
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    • v
    Very sad. Tensions are high but there is no justification for this. Most Jews living in Judea are not this way despite how they have been attacked. This is a place where the love of Jesus can do much good.

    Many Israeli's are hurting right now. They are starting to figure out that despite all the peace attempts nothing is working. The West never reports on how many Israeli's are attacked or the daily engagements with terror groups. Much to pray for.
    • ^
    • v
    These Jews shouldn't be there at all, Mike. The settlements are illegal under international law and are inside the green line.

    Whilst there are attacks by violent Palestinian groups, the fact remains that the settlements are built illegally and are increasing not decreasing in size.
    • ^
    • v
    Joet,

    Thanks for your response. I question your definition of legal. This has throughout history been Jewish land. True the Arabs did take it over. I have no problem with all the middle east being Arab and a Jewish homland extending through Judea and Samaria. It is such a small plot of land and the Arab world is so vast.

    The UN which follows majority vote, therefore the pro Arab position, sees this as illegal. I look forward to the Arab states of Syria and Iran to conform to international law. I look forward to Saudi A conforming to International law and stop killing Christians. The list goes on.

    Israel is the only stable government in the middle east where peace and justice exist. It is not a perfect nation but certainly better than any of the countries surrounding it.
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    I am not going to argue with you. When you have been there and seen the effect that a few thousand people have on millions as I have, maybe you would think differently.
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    OK, you know what, I am going to argue with you.

    The last time there was a substantial Jewish population in Palestine was around the time of the Crusades. That is like a thousand years ago. I don't know about where you live, Mike, but if we started reverting back to land ownership rights of a thousand years ago, you would have to be finding Vikings or Celts (or whoever invaded first) with land claims to the land where I sit.

    The creation of Israel directly caused a mass refugee exodus of people who had been living in the land for many hundreds of years. Today, several million still live in unsuitable refugee camps. Those who were not expelled altogether were forced into a fraction of their original lands in the West Bank and Gaza. Even this was not enough and the settlers decided to take even more land. This is all inarguable fact. You might not have a problem with a Jewish homeland, bully for you. Several million who it has affected do.

    Second, the UN General Assembly has consistently opposed Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Of the 192 member states voting in 2006, only United States, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau voted against the motions. Last time I looked, Arab countries did not have a majority of the UN General Assembly.

    As to your other points: Iran is not an Arab country, it is Persian. Saudi is a depositic and horrendous regime. This has nothing to do with anything.

    Peace and Justice do not exist in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, you are kidding yourself. The settlement exist deep within the green line and outside of the main part of Israel. Whilst they swim in their flush pools, over the walls Palestinian farmers struggle to grind a living. Whilst they drive quickly on settler roads (that only they can use), whole populations of villages are prevented from crossing to their own houses. Thousands of children daily run the gauntlet of checkpoints to get to school. Old people and pregnant women die because soldiers will not allow ambulances to get to hospital. It is true that for most Israelis life is quite good. But for the vast majority of Palestinians life is barely worth living.
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    Joet,
    thank you for the sanity in your response. Mike, you are misguided. Please listen to other views regarding Palestine. Before the division and creation of the Israel state, Muslim, Christian and Jew were rubbing shoulders and quite happy thank you very much.

    Having been and seen for myself, it is a shame that there is so much hype and American dollars supporting the Jewish cause. Remember, the USA is not God's second nation!
    • ^
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    Was the camera man able to press criminal charges? Was the masked man able to be identified? Has he lost any of his own family in the conflict? Thank you if you can do a follow up story.
 

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