Orphans Under Threat: CPT Release

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

CPT Release

CPTnet
10 April 2008
HEBRON: Press conference for Hebron orphanages

The Popular Committee for Supporting the Orphanages hosted a press conference at the Hebron Girls Orphanage on 7 April 2008. Approximately seventy people attended, including independent media, internationals, and clergy. The Israeli military had given orders to shut down the orphanages and schools run by the Islamic Charitable Society by 7 April.

The lawyer representing the Islamic Charitable Society spoke of the its work, which serves 2,500 children, 240 of them orphans, and aids an additional 4,000 students and 5,000 needy families. The society also runs a dairy, two bakeries, a warehouse, and four small storefronts that serve the schools and orphanages in the Hebron area. The Israeli military raided the warehouse, bakeries, and the storefronts on 6 March 2008, confiscating food, clothing, school supplies, refrigerators, and two buses worth $300,000.

The lawyer also noted that certified public accountants audit and the Palestinian Authority monitors the monies donated to support the orphanages and schools. The books are open for the Israeli government to audit as well. Twenty percent of the monies donated come from the Hebron local community. The other eighty percent comes from Europe, the U.S., and Middle Eastern countries. The Islamic Charitable Society enjoys the respect of both locals and non-governmental organizations such as Catholic Charities.

During the conference, Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights addressed the audience via speakerphone, saying that under Jewish law, evidence and witnesses must be brought before the court to support an accusation. Because the Islamic Charitable Society has threatened no human life, Ascherman contended, the Israeli authorities cannot cite security issues to justify a closure.

Members of CPT and other internationals have slept at the orphanages to accompany the staff and children and to document any possible incursion by the Israeli military. By midnight of 7 April, the attorney for the Israeli military had asked for an extension to prepare and submit to the court a full justification for the closures of the schools and orphanages.
check: http://www.cpt.org/cptnet/2008/04/10/hebron-press-conference-hebron-orphanages

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Are Schools and Orphanages Under Threat?

Our Lawyer, Mr Jawad Bulus, An Israeli Arab, appealed to the Israeli military within the 14 day period they alloted with closure orders. On 30 th of March , Mr Bulus received the following..........

Attn: lawyer Jawad Bulus
Subject: Closure of the Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron
Our Ref.: 2\6\00 – 2\4066 of 19\10\2005
2\6\000 – 2\6246 of 9 March 2008
Your Ref: of 3\3\08 and at our office on 9 March 2008 and 23 March 2008
By this we declare receiving your appeal of the above mentioned subject.
In your appeal, you explained the requests of the Islamic Charitable Society (ICS) against the closure and confiscation orders of properties that were issued by the General of Command (GOC) In Judea and Samaria.
In the above mentioned appeal you stated the following:
a) The GOC has no authority to close or confiscate properties in A or B areas which are under the full responsibility Palestinian Authority (PA).
b) The ICS is not connected to Hamas.
According to what you explained, you asked the GOC to cancel the closure and confiscation orders that were issued against the facilities and properties of the ICS.
I do inform you in this regard that your appeal was proposed to the GOC who insisted to refuse it for the following reasons:

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28. As we mentioned earlier, we would like to inform you that the claims of your client of absence of authority in A and B areas were discussed several times before and they were rejected.
29. We would like to draw your attention, in this regard; to the military court order of appeal 2016 \ 07 (enclosed) which explains the point.
30. To sum up, it was proved that your client (ICS) has connections with Hamas, the illegal party, and due to this there is an everlasting danger on the safety of the public, the area and the state of Israel. The GOC, therefore, decided to refuse your appeal.
31. The GOC intends to work continuously to perform the closure and confiscation orders that he signed, to close and confiscate the properties of the ICS immediately. Moreover, the GOC checks the possibility of expanding his activities against the ICS in a more effective and wider way due to the criminal acts in serving Hamas.
32. There is no need to say that the continuing work of the ICS which includes the working facilities or providing any service through it is a very dangerous violation of the law in the area. The GOC intends to take all necessary measures to stop that.
33. According to all that I mentioned, I ask you to inform your client to immediately stop all its activities. Otherwise, they will be exposing themselves to severe measures in both criminal and administrative frames.
34. As for the schools, orphanages and kindergartens mentioned in your appeal, the GOC gives himself the complete right to take all necessary measures according to the law if they continue to work in these facilities.
35. As for any future arrangements, all appeals and requests should be directed through official parties in the Palestinian Authorities – Hebron Governor- or the Minister of Civil Affair in the PA who has direct contact with Israeli Civil Administration.
With respect
Hariel
Officer- Political Advisor