PALESTINIAN SCHOOL DEMOLISHED

On August 23 in Jubbet alDhib, a village in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian children ready to attend their first day of school were shocked to find the building demolished. The six- classroom school had been razed to the ground by Israeli military forces the night before, leaving volunteers and teachers scrambling to construct makeshift classrooms for the 64 students. A temporary tent to accommodate the children was pitched to replace the caravan school, which was donated by European Union humanitarian organizations.

In defiance of the destruction, students peacefully protested by singing the national anthem before returning home with new school backpacks.

The building and all school materials had been confiscated and/or demolished by Israeli forces on the grounds that no permit had been issued for the construction of the school. Reports claim local residents threw rocks at the soldiers in protest, while the soldiers used tear gas and rubber- coated steel bullets to clear the area.

The school itself had been a step forward for Palestinian children in Jubbet al- Dhib in terms of gaining easier access to education. Jubbet al- Dhib is located in Area C of the West Bank, and is under the complete control of Israeli forces, which makes obtaining a permit for opening a Palestinian school almost impossible. The next closest Palestinian school to the village in question is an hour’s walk away over dangerous mountain terrain.

This incident is not an anomaly, but rather one demolition among 92 others this year alone conducted by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank, despite widespread international condemnation.