We stand with our Palestinian sisters and brothers in their struggle for peace
REFLECTION : Childhood in Palestine
REFLECTION : Childhood in Palestine
Jan Benvie
CPT Tuwani Team
September 2009
A few days ago, while I was sitting on the hillside watching the shepherds
and their sheep, some young girls from the village brought me flowers.
Their kind act brought back memories of when my daughter was young. She
too used to love gathering wild flowers (more often than not flowering
weeds) and giving them as gifts.
I found myself musing about my own children – now young adults. I thought
about how safe and comfortable their childhoods had been compared to that
of my young friends.
My children walked to and from school without threat of attack. My
greatest worry was their safety as they crossed the road, hoping they
would cross with the friendly person at the school crossing point.
Palestinian children walking to and from school in At-Tuwani are often
attacked and threatened by armed Israeli settlers. Israeli soldiers – the
same soldiers who invade their villages or chase their fathers and
brothers off their grazing land - escort them to and from school in
At-Tuwani. The escort soldiers often shout at the children or make them
run. On numerous occasions I have heard Israeli escort soldiers refer to
the children as ‘terrorists’.
My children grew up strong and healthy. They turned on a tap and fresh,
clean water ran out of it. I was able to provide them with a healthy diet.
A few weeks ago I spoke with a doctor at the village clinic (only staffed
for a few hours, one day a week). She told me that most of the children in
the area suffer from iron deficiency due to their poor diet. Forty-two
years of Israeli occupation has severely damaged the Palestinian economy
and the unemployment rate is over 20%. Israelis have stolen valuable
Palestinian agricultural land to build their illegal settlements and
outposts. Palestinian access to land for raising crops and grazing
livestock is severely restricted by the presence of armed Israeli settlers
who, in collusion with the Israeli military, regularly chase the villagers
from their land.
The various illegal Israeli settlements and outposts in the area are
supplied with electricity and water, yet none of the Palestinian villages
have such basic infrastructure. Tuwani and the neighbouring villages are
not without water and electricity because they are situated in remote,
inaccessible locations, but because of the political will of the occupying
Israeli regime.*
The fate of my children was not in the hands of politicians with their
incessant and meaningless prattle, and their peace was not simply a
‘process’. For now, the lives of Palestinian children continue to be
blighted by the merciless Israeli occupation.
*At-Tuwani and surrounding villages are in Area C according to the Oslo
Accords, placing them under Israeli military and civilian control.
However, Israel does not fulfill its obligation to the Palestinian
civilian population in the region.
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=35665
Jan Benvie
CPT Tuwani Team
September 2009
A few days ago, while I was sitting on the hillside watching the shepherds
and their sheep, some young girls from the village brought me flowers.
Their kind act brought back memories of when my daughter was young. She
too used to love gathering wild flowers (more often than not flowering
weeds) and giving them as gifts.
I found myself musing about my own children – now young adults. I thought
about how safe and comfortable their childhoods had been compared to that
of my young friends.
My children walked to and from school without threat of attack. My
greatest worry was their safety as they crossed the road, hoping they
would cross with the friendly person at the school crossing point.
Palestinian children walking to and from school in At-Tuwani are often
attacked and threatened by armed Israeli settlers. Israeli soldiers – the
same soldiers who invade their villages or chase their fathers and
brothers off their grazing land - escort them to and from school in
At-Tuwani. The escort soldiers often shout at the children or make them
run. On numerous occasions I have heard Israeli escort soldiers refer to
the children as ‘terrorists’.
My children grew up strong and healthy. They turned on a tap and fresh,
clean water ran out of it. I was able to provide them with a healthy diet.
A few weeks ago I spoke with a doctor at the village clinic (only staffed
for a few hours, one day a week). She told me that most of the children in
the area suffer from iron deficiency due to their poor diet. Forty-two
years of Israeli occupation has severely damaged the Palestinian economy
and the unemployment rate is over 20%. Israelis have stolen valuable
Palestinian agricultural land to build their illegal settlements and
outposts. Palestinian access to land for raising crops and grazing
livestock is severely restricted by the presence of armed Israeli settlers
who, in collusion with the Israeli military, regularly chase the villagers
from their land.
The various illegal Israeli settlements and outposts in the area are
supplied with electricity and water, yet none of the Palestinian villages
have such basic infrastructure. Tuwani and the neighbouring villages are
not without water and electricity because they are situated in remote,
inaccessible locations, but because of the political will of the occupying
Israeli regime.*
The fate of my children was not in the hands of politicians with their
incessant and meaningless prattle, and their peace was not simply a
‘process’. For now, the lives of Palestinian children continue to be
blighted by the merciless Israeli occupation.
*At-Tuwani and surrounding villages are in Area C according to the Oslo
Accords, placing them under Israeli military and civilian control.
However, Israel does not fulfill its obligation to the Palestinian
civilian population in the region.
http://www.kibush.co.il/show_file.asp?num=35665
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