PRESS RELEASE 5 MARCH 2005

Israeli military authorities ignore the measures of the High Israeli Court and of the Knesset.

Today the children of Tuba, a little community on the south Hebron hills, waited in vain the coming of the IDF military escort. The Israeli army did not carry out the commitment it pledged on last October to accompany the children returning from school. The Knesset had indeed established a law where the IDF had to escort the children after the repeated aggressions against them and  international volunteers, aggression by settlers from Ma’on settlement. But today the DCO declared not to have  the necessary military means to carry on the commitment. At the same time 5 km south, a group of national-religious settlers invaded Qawawis, little village of Palestinians Sheppard’s. From the closer outposts, 20 settlers have occupied one of the caves where Palestinians live, threatening with death to one of the 4 international volunteers present. The soldiers  whom were there at the time did nothing but socialize with settlers without intervening. Later the settlers left Qawawis and the place was declared “military closed zone”. All the Palestinians inhabitants were forced to leave the village except the landowners, five people who filed a complain to the High Israeli Court in which the court later officially recognized their right to live there. But their safety is not guaranteed considering the threats endured in past few days like their  sheeps killed as intimidation, and what happened today. OPERATION DOVE. Web site: www.operazionecolomba.org For further informations contact: Tel  00972-544473150         00972-547382452 E-mail: npcod@gmx.net