Hebron and Hebron Hills, Thursday 24.11.05, MorningObservers: Paula R., Yael Z. (Paula’s English version)We left Shoket junction at 06.40 and headed straight forward to Hebron, in order to observe the passage of the children at the Pharmacy CP to school. As was reported, on Tuesday soldiers fired smoke gas at children who protested at the order not to let anyone through without passing the hut with the scanning machine. Some children were injured. Till then, children and pregnant women were allowed through without having to pass the scanning device. The guard at the Elias Gate let us through immediately (I’ answered to his question: “No Arabs in the vehicle”).By the CP there was already a gathering of schoolchildren, somewhere between 6 and 10 years old. The soldiers stood with sealed faces, adamant not to let any intruder through. Press cameramen were eager to take as many photos as possible, and international volunteers from the CPT (Christians Peace Teams) as well as TIPH observers were at the site too, for they escort the children to and from school. One volunteer from CPT explained to us that since the returning of the Lavie battalion, the soldiers let pass only through the meganometer installation. The children protest and for two days the schools were closed. The presence of the Press incites the youth, and they pick up a flag, crying slogans (among them our famous cry from the football games: “Hou – Ha – Ma Karah…”). The situation gets quite tense when the soldiers finally leave their posts and, with pointed rifles, set out to disperse the crowd. A Molotov bottle, which is thrown from somewhere, infuriates the soldiers more. I think, that the presence of the press, of volunteers and maybe even of us (Yael to an infuriated soldier: “We are not against you!”) helped not to inflame the situation more. Certainly, the teachers and the Principal who came and persuaded the children to succumb and go to school through the scanning installation convinced the children and by 8:30 all went through. The army had its victory over the children. (I do not think that they will be proud to relate to their families now and certainly not to their schoolchildren in the future, about those battles and victories.) The volunteers expressed their gratefulness at our (MW women) presence of solidarity.Halhoul East – The work over the construction of the road circle is completed; the CP is open and the traffic flows to and from Hebron. No presence of soldiers on the road.Route 35 – Many military vehicles park by the closed CP, and there are many soldiers. Looks as if they are after a nightly activity. Route 60Shiuch-Sair: Sparse traffic. (9 o’clock).Sheep junction: On our way to Hebron we saw that the blue police stopped a bus and all the passengers got down. Perhaps there was an accident. We did not stop.Dura El-Pawar – The barriers are open and traffic flows from both sides. No soldiers were seen.Sansana CP: No detainees in the tents. We saw in the morning some Palestinians with food bags in their hands going towards Israel, probably with licenses.