Deacon Dave in Hebron, Palestine

Wednesday 30, April, 2008 3:30

HEBRON: At 1:00 am this morning, April 30th, the Israeli Military
raided the Hebron Girls' Orphanage near the intersection of Salaam and
Al Adel (Peace and Justice) Streets. Acting on orders issued by Major
General Shemni, soldiers looted the workshop of all its sewing and
processing machines, office equipment, rolls of cloth, finished
clothing and supplies. CPT members documented, with still photos and
video, approximately 40 Israeli soldiers emptying the workshop
contents into 2 - 40ft. trucks. The estimated value of the physical
material taken is $45,000 US. The cost in terms of the fear and
terror instilled in the hearts of the little girls living above the
workshop is much higher.

Members of Christian Peacemaker Teams and other internationals from
Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany, Holland, Scotland and the US have
been sleeping in the orphanage. Their concern is for the children who
live in fear of the military forcing them out of the place they've
come to call home. Their hope last night was that their presence
would forestall the army's raid on the workshop. They hoped in vain.
CPT's Art Arbour decried this latest effort by the Israeli military in
its campaign to close the orphanages, "How can grown men do this to
little children?" CPT members documented with still photos 40 Israeli
soldiers clearing out the workshop

Statements of support for the orphans have come in from former
President Jimmy Carter, from EU Vice President Luisa Morgentini and
from representatives of many international organizations worried about
the fate of the orphans in Hebron. Please join with them in
supporting the orphans.

CPT Contacts: office 011-972-(0)2 222 8485
Paul Rehm 011-972-(0) -54-432-8529;
Mary Anne Grady Flores 011-972-(0)59-802-7301,
Email:cptheb@palnet.com,

http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com

Phone 972-(0)2- 222-8485 or e-mail cptheb@palnet.com to learn more.

Call President Bush, Prime Minister Olmert and the Israeli Military.
Contact #'s are on

http://www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com

Christian Peacemaker Teams is an ecumenical initiative to support
violence reduction
efforts around the world. To learn more about CPT's peacemaking work,
visit our
website www.cpt.org Photos of our projects are at www.cpt.org/gallery.