The story is set in the West Bank, part of the occupied Palestinian territories. Since the
foundation of the state of Israel in 1948 there has been conflict between the Israelis and the
Palestinians over ownership of land. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced in
the fighting of 1948. Since 1967 the Israelis have occupied the West Bank and have built many
settlements in the occupied territory which are deemed to be illegal under international law. It is in the shadow of one of these settlements that Said and his family live.
Introducing the story
This story is set in the West Bank, a part of the Middle East where there is conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. (Blog work)
-what do you think life might be like for children who are living in a war zone?
These videos may help you understand what is happening on the conflict zone.
Israel is building a massive barrier in the West Bank. It is mostly a fence, but some of it is a concrete wall.
The Israeli government says the barrier helps prevent Palestinian suicide bombers travelling to Israeli cities to kill Israelis. It says it is only temporary and can be removed once a peace agreement is reached.
Palestinians say it is creating a new border and cutting into land they hope will form a future state of Palestine. They also say the barrier cuts through Palestinian villages and land, stopping farmers from getting to their land.
The United Nations and countries including America and the UK have said they don’t think the barrier is a good idea.
World leaders are trying to help the Israelis and Palestinians to resolve their differences.
In 2003, international diplomats from the United Nations, America, the European Union and Russia came up with a plan for both sides called a ‘Road Map to Peace’.
This group of diplomats, which includes the UK government, say the only solution is an end to “the occupation that began in 1967”.
They say there should be two states – Israel and an independent state of Palestine – and it is in “the fundamental interests of the international community” to establish a “State of Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza”.
They also say Israel should stop building more settlements, and want all Palestinian groups to agree to stop attacking Israelis.
