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Observers: 
Suzi A (?), Osnat B, Nirit H (reporting)
Jul-1-2014
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Morning

Aslah

This was a tough morning : the discovery of the kidnapped boys’ bodies, widespread shelling in Gaza during the night,  innocent people wounded and killed, destruction and pogroms – and there is nobody to calm things down and terminate the endless cycle of violence.

  It was important for us to be in Aslah as planned, in order to not to disappoint the children who were waiting for our arrival, and to create some sanity and hope together.

10.00  Izbet alTabib’

The entrance to the village was open, with no army presence. There were a number of people and some children in the protest tent.

10.05  Aslah

The kindergarten was closed, and there weren’t any children in the place.  After a minute, the head of the local council arrived to open the classrooms.  There was a short  acquaintance-making conversation and during it the children started to arrive in groups with their pencils and exercise-books in their hands. A total of forty children – boys and girls – arrived, and we divided them into two groups : Osnat with the older ones and Suzi with the younger ones. In the beginning each pupil said his name, and then the bigger children wrote the names of animals, and made drawings of  them.  Also they sang and played party-games.

In the small-children’s group, exercise pages were distributed, the children wrote simple sentences in English, and Suzi read them two short stories.  All the children cooperated happily.

The problem of communication still hasn’t been solved, and we made-do with what we have : very basic Arabic, many smiles and hand-movements, and somehow it works.  After Ramadam is over we shall find two

 English-speaking students from the village who will help us with the task of translation.

11.40

  The end of the lessons and consolation of the bereaved in the village.

12.30  Habla

The crossing was closed.  A soldier was sitting on the other side of the gate.  Three Palestinians were waiting for the gate to open at 13.00.