Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10 May 2008
From: Christian Peacemaker Teams — Hebron Phone: 972 (0)2 222 8485
CPT-NYC Contact: Mary Anne Grady Flores 1-607-280-8797 (just back from Hebron) http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.org

Representatives from Christian Peacemaker Teams, UNICEF, UNOCHA, Save the Children UK, Defense for Children International, the YMCA, Relief International and other human rights organizations met in Hebron on 8 May to help Hebron’s orphans and students who live with the fear that the Israeli military will close their homes and schools. The representatives selected a core group of Palestinian and International NGO’s to halt the Israeli attack against Islamic Charitable Society orphanages and schools. The core group will also develop programs to ease the anxiety that’s been part of the children’s lives from the day the army first began its crusade.
Since issuing closure and confiscation orders against the ICS on 26 February, the Israeli army raided the central warehouse taking away school busses, clothing, food, stationery, equipment and other supplies intended to fill the needs of the children and their families. Soldiers have welded shut the gates of the nearly completed $2,000,000 Al-Huda girls’ school, raided and looted bakeries that provided bread to the orphanages and on the 1st of
May, raided the sewing workshop in the girls’ orphanage, carting away sewing and processing machines, fabric, finished garments and office equipment…all of which they brought to the city dump.

Responding to an appeal filed by Jawad Boulos, attorney for the ICS, the army’s commanding general said that in regard to the schools, orphanages and kindergartens, he “gives himself the complete right to take all necessary measures…if they (ICS) continue to work in these facilities”.

Mary Anne Grady Flores
514 N. Plain St., Ithaca, NY 14850
1-607-273-7437/ 1-607-280-8797
Ithaca Catholic Workers

“If you think one person can’t be effective, you’ve never been in bed
with a mosquito”-War Resister’s League

http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.org
http://www.puertoricotopalestine.org
http://www.stpatricksfour.org
http://www.democracynow.org
http://www.cpt.org