Southern children visited Knesset and… fled into protected space

The Knesset opened its doors this morning (Tuesday) to the children of the South, and hosted about 400 elementary school students from Be'er Sheva, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat and Even Shmuel.

The students, who came accompanied by their parents, were welcomed by an instructors team of the Knesset's visitor center with bags of sweets and drinks. Several buses which arrived from Be'er Sheva were delayed, since before departure to the Knesset a siren sounded 'Red Color' in the city.

"Twice we went up and got off the bus because of the alarm, and some parents canceled their participation because of fear of being away from the children," says Albert Cohen, a social worker in the Negba association who came with a group of children from a neighborhood in Beersheba. "This is the first outing for all these children after a week, and for them this is a break and some quiet from the sirens. At the moment we left Be'er Sheva I saw the children smile."

Knesset Speaker Reuven (Ruby) Rivlin spoke with the children and reinforced them. "We thought it was worthwhile that precisely you, who are in the battle, will get a break here in the House of the People, the home which is yours as well. I assure you that this battle will end because this is our country and nobody will move us out of here. The Chagall Lounge where you are in the Knesset is meant for highly respected ceremonies of presidents from around the world, but there was no more important meeting of the Knesset as the meeting with you today. "

The group of children from Kiryat Gat which also reached the Knesset, experienced a siren in the middle of the night. "The children did not go out all week and did not breathe air," says Nurit Azrad from Qiryat Gat. "The main thing is that we are taking them out to break the routine. It's hard for us, too, as adults, and we need to ensure that children do not see it. We thank the Knesset for allowing us this airing out allowed. It also gives them some peace."

But it is not long before there was even there ... a siren.

The Knesset Guard hastened to lead the children into the protected enclosure behind the plenum.

Overall the Knesset will host in the next three days, approximately 1,200 residents of the South and will bear all the costs of bringing children and the activities in the Knesset. Hoping that there, at least, they will find the peace that they seek.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!