Shocking News from Hebron this morning

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Wednesday April 30, 2008 10:19 by Justin Morahan

Israeli army evicting the orphans by stealth

Members of a brave Christian Peacemakers team, hoping by their sleep-in to prevent the threatened eviction of the orphans in an Orphanage in Hebron, were helpless this morning as about 40 Israeli soldiers raided the workshop of the Orphanage, terrorising the children there and carrying away all of its equipment worth about €28,000.

The raid happened at 1.00 a.m. when the soldiers, on orders from Major General Shemni, looted the workshop and removed all of its sewing and processing machines, office equipment, rolls of cloth, finished clothing and supplies.

The orphanage had been threatened with closure on April 1st but still remains open after strong international protest. and the sleep-in by non-violent actiivists have prevented the army from leaving the children homeless.

Now it appears that the Israeli army is trying to achieve their aim by stealth. Having last week destroyed the bakery supplying the orphenage, they issued a number of statements threatening the looting that happened this morning. Now they have carried out the looting. There may be some more protest but the original purpose is being slowly achieved.

In spite of numerous calls to stop this vandalism by the Israeli Army, there is no end in sight. Under the pretence that the shops and businesses destroyed and closed down are under the umbrella of Hamas, the army goes relentlessy on. The orphanage has been targetted for months but as yet not fully sacked.

As this morning's press release remarks: "How can grown men do this to little children?"

Israeli Embassy contact:: ambsec@dublin.mfa.gov.il

See also: http://hebronorphans.blogspot.com/2008/04/thousands-of-....html