These Palestinian Children In The West Bank Are Protesting Against Israel Blocking Access To Their School
Until the path is reopened, the village council said it would hold daily demonstrations with lessons, music and activities in the open air.
Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank have set up a “freedom school” to protest against Israeli soldiers and illegal Israeli settlers blocking them from accessing their school with a wire fence.
Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank had already been out of school for more than 40 days after schools were forced to close due to the US and Israel’s war on Iran.
After the US, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on April 8, schools reopened only three days a week.
However, children in Umm al-Khair village, which is almost entirely surrounded by an illegal Israeli settlement named Carmel, found the way to school blocked by coiled barbed wire that was illegal Israeli settlers had put up overnight.
Security camera footage showed settlers arriving in the night to erect the fence, according to the village council.
When the children tried to go around it, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and sound grenades at them, with children as young as five years old caught in the attack.
"It was a very violent situation," the head of the village council, Khalil Hathaleen said, according to Al Jazeera. "Until now, some children haven't returned to the site because of fear. They can't sleep."
The fence also blocks women from reaching a nearby health clinic and worshippers from reaching the mosque.
Hathaleen said settlers had been using the cover of the recent war to seize land, cut down olive trees and raid nearby villages at night.
"It was a good chance for settlers to do what they want, with no rules," he said, according to AP.
Since then, 55 children, who are blocked from going to school, along with parents, teachers and community members started protesting beside the fence.
They also staged "Umm al-Khair Freedom School," where children sat on rocks next to the barbed wire and worked on schoolwork they have been deprived of.
"Education is a right for everyone, including the children of Umm al-Khair," a teacher said. "It's not right to block their road."
Until the path is reopened, the village council said it would hold daily demonstrations with lessons, music and activities in the open air at the blocked path.
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Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
Cherry Mohamed
