Israel court orders demolition of EU-funded school in West Bank

The Israeli District Court in Jerusalem yesterday ordered the immediate demolition of a European-funded school in Ein Samiya community near Ramallah, Wafa news agency reported.

Ein Samiya school was inaugurated in mid-January in coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Education afterhaving been built with European funds.

The court gave the petitioners two options: either to carry out the demolition themselves, or to pay for the Israeli occupation’s bulldozers to demolish it.

In February, representatives from the EU visited Ein Samiya community near Ramallah in light of the serious risk of demolition of the school.

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The school provides access to education for children in Ein Samiya and neighbouring nomadic communities.

Prior to the school’s construction, children had to walk nine kilometres to the closest school in Ras Al-Tin neighbourhood.

The school in Ras Al-Tin also faces the imminent risk of demolition by the Israeli occupation.

“Representatives from the EU and likeminded countries urge Israel to halt demolitions, evictions and confiscations on occupied Palestinian land, including of donor funded projects,” the EU representatives said in a statement.

“The continuation of these policies violates international law, undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace in the region,” they added.