- Title: WEST BANK: Israel's West Bank barrier divides Palestinian school playground
- Date: 6th October 2005
- Summary: WIDE SHOT STUDENTS PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE PLAYGROUND; PALESTINIAN FLAG; STUDENTS QUEUING
- Embargoed: 21st October 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3ZYOSH93W16SCRRGP9RPIN0KZ
- Story Text: The Anata boys school, located in Anata village northeast of Jerusalem, has had its playground divided because of Israel's 'security' barrier.
The barrier has confiscated 3.5 dunums of the 4 dunum playground, which must accommodate nearly 800 students.
Most of the Residents in Anata village carry green identification cards, which distinguish them as Palestinian residents of the West Bank and restrict them from entering Israeli-controlled areas without special permission. Even the land, which was confiscated by this barrier at the school is West Bank land.
Many of Anata pupils complain that they find it increasingly difficult to play sport in such a small playground.
The Israeli authorities claim that this barrier that runs through the school playground is only temporary until another barrier is finished outside the school.
The head of the school said that there were no plans to build the barrier until Saturday morning (October 1) when the students came to school and found the Barrier taking two third of the playground.
The headmaster, says he hopes the school will eventually be able to stop the construction of the barrier in the surrounding area through legal action which the Palestinian Ministry for Education is taking.
"Before the barrier, the playground was larger, and the students used to have freedom of movement in the playground. Since they confiscated land the area has been reduced by a lot. This has effected the students and their freedom to move and now they can not play sport properly," Yousef Ellaian, principle of the school told Reuters Television.
The students are continuing to study and play as normal and are hoping that one-day they will come to school and not find the barrier.
"First of all the barrier was built by people who don't have value for human beings. They don't understand the meaning of being human. They set up the barrier to prevent us from learning but we will continue to study and be better than them (the Israelis," Hisham, a student at Anata School said.
Once construction of the West Bank barrier continues it will make it harder for Palestinians to reach Arab East Jerusalem, which they seek as the capital of a future independent state in the West Bank and Gaza.
Some tens of thousands of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem will be separated from their work, schools and hospitals when the barrier is completed, according to Israeli sources.
Along with the other occupied territories, Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It then annexed it as part of its own "indivisible capital" in a move not recognised internationally.
The World Court ruled a year ago the barrier of concrete walls and razor wire-tipped fences as illegal because it is built on occupied land. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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