Holy Land: Israeli army wrecks centre for children with disabilities

The badly vandalised ABCD centre

A British charity-funded health centre for children with disabilities in the West Bank: ABCD (Action Around Bethlehem Children with Disability) has been badly damaged by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in a major raid.

Nur Shams Refugee Camp, south of Jenin, was stormed by the IDF on Wednesday 3 January. Soldiers burst into more than 50 homes and the children's centre.

The charity's project manager, Firas Sarhan managed to call Nehayah, the Centre's Manager to report on the horrendous destruction that took place during the 40-hour raid. She said: "They ransacked the building, destroying equipment, damaging all the rooms including the new sensory room."

Essential paperwork for the 250 children who receive treatment at the centre was also destroyed. The IDF also took food, children's winter clothing and ink from the printer. They threw walking frames, mattresses and beds out on the street.

Windows were peppered with shots. Snipers took positions on the building's rooftops. Fortunately no one was injured.

Nehayah's house was also searched and partly destroyed. She said: "Thank God no one was injured at the Centre. There is no fresh food and nowhere for people to go," she added. "I helped to build the Centre from zero, my own soul has been broken."

Since 7th October more than 400 men, women and children have been arrested in Nur Shams alone. The economy there has collapsed, unemployment exponentially increased, businesses and homes destroyed, families displaced, movement and supplies of food made virtually impossible. Virtually every house has been damaged by raids, and many of those affected have been the most vulnerable children and adults, whose difficult lives have now been rendered all the more miserable by having to live in the streets or the ruins of their homes.

Nehayah said the violence against Palestinians and the destruction in Nur Shams, "is the worst since 1967."

ABCD say in a statement: "As a UK charity with 35 years' experience working in Palestine, we urge the UK government to request the Israeli government to stop all such raids in the West Bank, and to ask for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza."

ABCD is a British funded charity which has been improving the lives of children with disabilities across Palestine for over 30 years regardless of faith, race or gender. The charity helps fund four health centres in refugee camps as well as an Outreach team to support families in remote rural areas. The charity was founded by Val Jourdan, MBE, a paediatric physiotherapist.
For more information see: www.abcdbethlehem.org UK

Revd Daniel Burton, vicar of Oldham, chair of ABCD, was interviewed on the Today programme about the raid. Hear him at about 1:16 - www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001v3dl

ABCD has resolve to make good all the wanton damage inflicted last week. They have a crisis appeal here: www.abcdbethlehem.org/abcd-news/abcd-crisis-appeal