Sunday, March 6, 2011 19:08
Mondoweiss.net
05/03/2011
Imagine that your children go to school in tents, intended to be demolished, because the settlers seek the
'water in your village.
Chris Keeler
A Ein Hilwel the school is given by a simple tent with plastic chairs.
Ein Hilwe The Bedouin community is located in the occupied West Bank, in the northern Jordan Valley. And 'one of the many Palestinian communities condemned to suffer recession and stagnation because of the strict policies of the Area C. The village consists of about 130 people and is located in a strategic position close to one of the few natural sources of the Jordan Valley that has not been confiscated by the Israeli government.
The village is located off the main street of the Jordan Valley at the foot of the hills. Taken out of context of the Israeli occupation, the Ein Hilwe seems to be a colorful demonstration of authenticity and tranquility. Unfortunately for the inhabitants of the community, employment is pervasive and is unlikely to retire soon; Ein Hilwe The settlement is surrounded by five Israeli settlers from illegal settlements, which often come to haunt the residents of the village. As in many other villages in Palestine, mainly the children of the community who may feel the effect of stronger employment effects.
Only 35 students of the Ein Hilwe and the surrounding communities can take advantage of the school.
The Children Ein Hilwe, such as those that come from the Bedouin community in the area, used to go to school in the village of Tayasir, a journey of more than 13 km involving the need to take a bus and go through a check Israeli point. Too often, the children would be harassed by Soldiers manning the checkpoint. Some were even forced to leave the bus and walk the 13 kilometers to go and return from school. Understandably, the brutal treatment imposed by Israeli soldiers has forced many children to abandon school. To combat the decline in school retention rates and be helpful to the survival of the community of Ein Hilwe, last November, the Campaign to Save the Jordan Valley has built a simple tent-school. The school can accommodate 35 children, though, sitting on small plastic chairs, many attending courses outside where volunteer teachers teach Arabic, English, mathematics, chemistry and religion, as the classes are formed by students of all ages and all levels. Unfortunately, since the tent school in the Ein Hilwe was built illegally (according to the draconian laws imposed by the now defunct Oslo Accords), it is not recognized by the Palestinian Ministry of Education so that does not receive any funding from the Palestinian government, and is considered illegal by the Israeli government. The tent and the area game, as well as the cost of transport for teachers and all school materials were provided only by development organizations. In fact, the outcome of the school depends entirely on charity.
Saturday, February 26, I participated in an initiative to support The Ein Hilwe organized by Save the Jordan Valley Campaign and the Ma'an Development Center, during which volunteers helped to expand the existing play area for children and met with leaders of the community. The volunteers were tasked to build a second tent for the community to the school that would allow for 65 more children to attend school, but Friday, February 25, arrived on site a military jeep and threatened to demolish both the blinds el ' existing play area.
Unfortunately, the situation of the Ein Hilwe is not an isolated case. In all of Palestine and especially in the Jordan Valley communities are subject to the same appalling conjunctures. Area C - which means full Israeli military and administrative control - covers more than 95% of the Jordan Valley. What is even more devastating with regard to Area C is the inability to build on the Palestinian side, leaving Palestinian communities in the best case in a constant state of stagnation, at worst, recession. Between 2000 and 2007, was approved only 6% of requests for building permits for Palestinians in the same period, 91 permits were granted to Palestinians, while 18,472 housing units were built for Jews. For each building permit Palestinian approved by Israel, he has issued 55 orders demolition.
Students The Ein Hilwe were not alone, even in their suffering. The village is another Ka'abneh Bedouin community that is surrounded by settlements. As in the Ein Hilwe, had been illegally built a school for the community, which provides education to 66 students. Over the past three years, the school Ka'abneh were issued demolition orders 6, most recently in October 2010 for a small cabinet. Similarly, the school Jiftlik suffered the same fate before 2005. Like their compatriots in the Ein Hilwe, Jiftlik students were forced to go to the nearby Beit Hassan to go to school. After the construction of the checkpoint Hamra, from Jiftlik many have dropped out of school because of the high costs of transport and mistreatment at checkpoints by Israeli soldiers. The village has decided to build a tent-schools such as the Ein Hilwe, but between 2003 and 2008, the Israelis have demolished the school seven times.
Palestinians in the Jordan Valley are subject to constant attack. Israel not only uses weapons as well as bulldozers and lawyers to force the Palestinians to abandon their lands. In 1967, 320,000 Palestinians lived in the Jordan Valley. Today, the number was reduced by 82% to just 56,000.
Poverty rates rose to 60%, worse than many areas Gaza. Perhaps most tragic is that the Israeli occupation denies students actively in the Jordan Valley their legitimate right to education. The abuses by soldiers and settlers, as well as the usual practice of inhuman demolition of Palestinian schools denies children the right to learn.
Article 50 of the Fourth Geneva Convention requires the occupying power - in this case Israel - to "facilitate the proper functioning" of schools in the occupied territory. The practice of harassment of students, the destruction of schools and the increase in policies that undermine the Palestinian education are a blatant violation of this, and many other laws of international law - including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention against Discrimination in Education. More importantly, the damage done today to schools and students is a cause of serious limitations and impairments for future generations of Palestine.
The Ein Hilwe students are just one example of how Israel, denying education,
violates international law.
This work appeared originally on Notes From a Medinah
(translated by Marian Mingarelli)
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