South Hebron Hills
At Asael, the illegitimate outpost, building is advancing and a new neighborhood is being built.
We went to the kindergarten of Huda at Hashem el Daraj because we had not been there for a while. Some of the children are not here at this season because they have gone with their parents and the flocks to grazing areas.
The children are very happy and pleasant. The kindergarten looks relatively well equipped. Huda sends regards to Mira Balaban.
Huda, Hawala and Amna are happy to see us and even have learned a tiny bit of Hebrew. They tell us about the village where there are about 1500 children. The village is wide spread over a long are and there are children who can not come to the kindergarten because of the distance. The kindergarten was built from donations only and the Palestinian authority only pays the salaries of the teachers. Because there is no money for meals the kindergarten is only open until 11 or 12.
We visited the clinic which has been built here (Italians?) and twice a week a doctor and nurse from Yatta come to the village. There is also a sort of mini ‘Tipat Halav’ ( a clinic for parents and babies) and there they receive vaccinations.
Next to the clinic is a large school for boys and girls.
At Um al Kheir we find a new kindergarten in place of the one which was closed. There is only very minimal equipment, actually very miserable. And it is not clear why they have built it as already there is an order to close it. The reason is: Illegal building. One only has to see the “legal” building next to the fence of the village of the settlement of Carmel. Next to the kindergarten is also a “library”.
Khalil, one of the activists here, sits with us and asks Mira and everyone who can….please visit us.
On the other side of the fence organic herbs are grown.