Occupied Palestine: Israeli soldiers fire tear gas and bullets at Palestinian schools

Israeli soldiers opened fire at two Palestinian schools in the town of Burqa in the occupied West Bank earlier today, Wafa has reported. Students and staff were evacuated immediately following the Israeli attacks.

According to Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors Israeli settlement activities in the Nablus district, the soldiers shot live bullets, tear gas and concussion bombs inside the schools. Dozens of students and staff suffered the after-effects of inhaling the gas.

Daghlas added that this was the second day in a row that the schools have been attacked by Israeli soldiers. Yesterday they also fired tear gas at the schools, causing panic among students and staff.

The official pointed out that Palestinian schools are targeted frequently by the Israeli army. Gunfire towards the schools is common, as is the obstruction of students’ access and intimidating deployment of heavy troop concentrations in the surrounding area.

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Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Human rights abuses against the Palestinians and breaches of international law are daily occurrences.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. All of Israel’s settlements are illegal under international law, which the apartheid state treats with contempt.