Elementary school pupils from Jerusalem were attacked Sunday morning by stone-throwing Arab teens from southern Israel.
The youngsters were in the midst of a field trip to the Ein Gedi National Park near the Dead Sea with tour guides from the Kfar Etzion Field School.
During their hike through the desert canyon area, the group came under a barrage of stones thrown by students from the Bedouin town of Tel Sheva in the Negev. The Bedouin students occupied the high ground and hurled stones down at the Jewish children as they trekked through the bottom of the canyon.
The Jerusalem hikers were able to escape unscathed and filed a report with the police and Education Ministry.
“We’ve led hikes in Ein Gedi with many groups from around the country, but this was the first time we’ve ever had a serious incident like this occur – throwing stones at elementary school children,” said Yaron Rosenthal, head of the Kfar Etzion Field School.
“We filed an emergency report to the police, which sent units to the scene to wait at the end of the trail for the attackers; and simultaneously [we sent a complaint] to the Education Ministry asking to punish the students from Tel Sheva.”