Accompaniment

Here in Hebron, accompaniment takes on a very literal meaning. Due to the constant threat of violence, we are present every day when the students of the Cordoba school in Tel Rumeida walk to and from school. We stand at two of the several checkpoints these children, some as young as six, have to pass. Soldiers, however, are not the main problem.

The school is situated right next to Beit Hadassah settlement. This was the first Israeli settlement in the Old City of Hebron, and it is inhabited mainly by ideological and religious settlers. Over the past few years, the children, as well as the school building, have been attacked by settlers on several occasions - one of which was documented by previous Swedish EA Terje Carlsson. Lately, such attacks have decreased and the number of students have more than doubled since 2006. According to the principal, Reem As-Sharif, this is due to the introduction of new precautionary routines and better cooperation with the Israeli police, but she also attributes a great part of it to EAPPI's protective presence.

Because Palestinians are unable to use the former main road in Hebron, Shuhada street, the children have to walk through checkpoints to get to school

In the beginning, we were just greeted with a few shy 'good mornings' and a quick glance from the younger children. Children in Hebron's Israeli controlled H2-area seem to me to be a little more apprehensive about strangers than the average West Bank kid. It didn't take long, however, before they warmed to us and 'Jamal' (Jean-Marie) and 'Mohannad' (Johannes) was shouted from every corner of the school yard. Now there are gifts and hugs and smiles all over.

Our visitor Erik from the Jerusalem team won the hearts of the boys in an instant