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Indybay Feature

Israelis escort Palestinian kids back home from school, protect them from settlers violence

by MC
On Monday, November 2, Israelis from the group Teayosh drove to the Twaneh village to escort kids leaving school back to their homes. The Kids who reside in the villages of Toba and Maran Alabit, have to walk between the (illegal) settlements of Maon and Havat Maon to get home. In the passed 5 years, settlers from the these outposts have made a tradition of attacking the Palestinian kids with rocks and clubs. The Israeli military which suppose to walk with, and to defend these kids (or arrest the settlers that commit hate crimes) has not been showing up, and so last week, the kids were attacked again.
Twaneh, for its geographical closeness to the Maon settlement is considered to be area C, an area that is govern by the Israeli military. As such, the residence has to ask for military approval for almost any little detail. Running water are not provided (although Israel exports underground water from the occupied territories into Israel) and permits for building new homes or rooms are routinely denied. The land itself that belongs to the people in the village is regularly taken over by settlers from Maon.
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§
by MC
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§Twaneh elementary school
by MC
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We arrive at the school and meet the kids, who seems to not let the harassment and violence experience by settlers to affect them. They are cheerful and full of joy.
§class room
by MC
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Love the kid second from left at the front who looks like his waiting for me to make him an offer, or submit my résumé. The kids right behind him reminds me of myself at that age, falling asleep and cant wait to go home.
§Rmazi and Brahim
by MC
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Rmazi and Brahim ask if i can let them use my camera.
§ talent
by MC
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The next couple of pictures taken by Ramzi reveal, in MHO, a great future talent.
§too cool for school
by MC
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This kid on the right looks too old to be in school. Besides, black is so last winter. He looks so excited to sit on this little carousel (on Rmazi‘s request), that I did not want to ask him when does he planes on finishing elementary school.
§another photo by Ramzi
by MC
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The more photos Ramzi was taking the more Brahim looked like he's auditioning to be a top model.
§walk
by MC
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We start to walk with the kids, we leave the village and inter the “no man’s land” by the settlements
§Maon settlement
by MC
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§Maon
by MC
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The striking difference between the houses of the settlers to those of the Palestinians at Twaneh is striking. The Israeli government, through the American tax payer, subsides many of the utilities in these places. Housing, water, and tax exemption are provided for those willing to live here. The fact that some settlers take over Palestinian land without ever paying for it makes becoming a settler a good investment, and not just a racist ideology.
§we are family
by MC
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Today the military arrives and we all walk together as one big family (minus the soldiers who would rather do something else).
§entrance to Havat Maon
by MC
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we walk by the entrance to Havat Maon.
§trees
by MC
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The settlers who attacked the kids last week were hiding in the trees to the right.
§end
by MC
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We arrive at the end of the way where the kids who are not allowed to use the roads belonging to the settlements have to walk outside of the fence.
Luckily, today no violent attacks were perpetrated at the Palestinian kids. The military did its job by actually showing up and on time. Sadly the next attack on these kids who are only trying to get back and forth from school, is just matter of time.
§
by MC
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