Bethlehem: Activists rebuild Jubbet Ad-Dib School after Israel demolished it

On Saturday morning, Palestinian activists reconstructed Jubbet Ad-Dib School in the east of Bethlehem, just a few days after its destruction by the Israeli occupation, which coincided with the beginning of the school year.

Hassan Brijiyah, a representative of the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission (belonging to the Palestine Liberation Organisation), told Quds Press that the activists have reconstructed five classrooms with bricks, days after being demolished by the occupation army.

He pointed out that this step confirms “our determination and defiance against the occupation and its repressive measures, which stooped to the level of targeting schools and kindergartens.”

Brijiyah also indicated that the occupation army broke into Jubbet Ad-Dib area while the activists were reconstructing the school and fired flares, tear gas and rubber bullets at dozens of participants in the reconstruction process. They continued this assault until dawn in an attempt to force the activists to leave the area.

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Brijiyah also pointed out that after several hours, the occupation army was forced to retreat from the area under the steadfastness of the activists and their refusal to leave or stop reconstructing the school.

It is noteworthy that the Israeli occupation forces had taken over caravans in the eastern side of Bethlehem that were being used by Jubbet Ad-Dib School as classrooms. The caravans were confiscated under the pretext that they were unlicensed.  This made it difficult for students to attend classes at the beginning of the new school year.

At that time, Palestinian organisations and activists had set up tents for the school’s 64 students, as part of a protest against the demolition of the school and the removal of the caravans.

Shady Othman, the European Union’s spokesman in the occupied Palestinian territories, told Quds Press that the Union deplores all the demolitions that have been carried out by the Israeli authorities. At the same time, the European Union called on Tel Aviv to return all the equipment to Jubbet Ad-Dib School’s equipment that was confiscated one day before the start of the school year.

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