Israel demolishes Palestinian schools just as children return from summer holiday

Palestinian children going back to school after the summer break were shocked to find their classrooms had been demolished or damaged.

Some ended up getting their lessons yesterday in tents or outside in the heat after Israeli authorities dismantled the buildings in the occupied West Bank.

国产视频淚t was heartbreaking to see children and their teachers turning up for their first day of school under the blazing sun, with no classrooms or anywhere to seek shelter,” said聽Itay Epshtain, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Policy Manager.

“Meanwhile in the immediate vicinity the work to expand illegal settlements goes on uninterrupted.国产视频�

The only kindergarten for the Jabal Al Baba Bedouin community was destroyed in the early hours of August 21.聽A primary school in Jubbet Al Dhib was demolished on the night of August 22.聽

NRC said the Israeli authorities also dismantled and confiscated solar panels – the only source of power – at a primary school in Abu Nuwar.聽

国产视频淛ust when they were due to return to the classroom, Palestinian children are discovering that their schools are being destroyed,国产视频� said the NRC国产视频檚 Country Director for Palestine, Hanibal Abiy Worku.聽

国产视频淲hat threat do these schools pose to the Israeli authorities? What are they planning to achieve by denying thousands of children their fundamental right to education?国产视频�

The events in the West Bank come as 55 schools are threatened with demolition and “stop work” orders by Israeli authorities.聽

Many of the schools are funded by donors, including European Union member states.聽

In a statement, the EU聽expressed “strong concern about the recent confiscations of Palestinian school structures undertaken by Israel in Bedouin communities in the occupied West Bank”.

It added:聽“Every child has the right to safe access to education and states have an obligation to protect, respect and fulfil this right, by ensuring that schools are inviolable safe spaces for children.”

NRC said Israel denies the majority of Palestinian planning permit requests in the West Bank’s Area C – leaving Palestinians with no option but to reconstruct and develop without permits while Israeli settlements continue to expand in violation of international law.

The primary school in Abu Nawar was also attacked twice last year when parts of it were demolished and equipment confiscated.

Israeli human rights group B国产视频橳selem said the removal of the school in Jubbet Al Dhib had left 80 students without classrooms.

It added: 国产视频淭he school consisted of six pre-fabs donated by the European Union that the security forces dismantled and confiscated. The area was declared a closed military zone and security forces used stun grenades to keep residents away.

国产视频淭he demolition of a school building the night before the start of the year epitomises the administrative cruelty and systematic harassment by authorities designed to drive Palestinians from their land.国产视频�

The Norwegian Refugee Council’s education programmes helped more than 45,000 Palestinians in 2016. It works in schools run by the聽government and UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees) to help provide聽quality education and decrease dropout rates

NRC’s Worku said: “We call on the governments and donors funding Palestinian children国产视频檚 education to exercise all of their influence to prevent this violation in all its forms.

国产视频淭he destruction of educational structures funded by European money is not just a violation of international law.聽

“It is also a slap in the face to the international community providing aid to the occupied Palestinian population in a bid to ensure safe places of learning for children.国产视频�

COGAT, the Israeli civil administration which oversees construction in the West Bank, said the structures did not have proper permits.