The Israeli military has been refusing for the past two days to escort children from a Palestinian village to and from school to protect them from frequent attacks by settlers from a nearby outpost, even though a Knesset committee voted to provide security for them in 2004.

Residents of the Palestinian village of Tuba, located in the South Hebron Hills said it was the first time in 18 years that the army had ever told them it was cancelling the escorts. As a result, the village’s children haven’t been able to attend school for the past two days.

Tuba residents said they believed the army’s decision was aimed to punish them following Sunday night's clashes between settlers and Palestinians at the location where the village children meet the soldiers to be escorted back home.