Israel approves decision to demolish school east of Ramallah

Palestinian students attend a class at a school funded by the EU humanitarian aid in the Masafer Yatta area in the South Hebron Hills, which Israel declared as Firing Zone 918 facing the threat of demolition and displacement, on 19 October 2020 [HAZEM BADER/AFP via Getty Images]

An Israeli court has approved a decision by Israeli authorities to demolish a school in a Palestinian village near the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, Ma’an news agency reported yesterday.

This came as a number of Palestinian residents of the village of Ein Samiya had appealed against a previous order by the Israeli District Court in Jerusalem that stipulated the immediate demolition of the only school in the village.

The Jerusalem Centre for Legal Assistance said that the court gave until 31 December to find alternatives for the students and pay a new fine.

The Israeli occupation court ordered the villagers not to register any new students or expand the school, and warned that any violation of these conditions would prompt immediate demolition of the school and a new fine.

READ: 6,400 Palestinian students’ education at risk due to Israel demolition orders

The appellants were also ordered to pay 30,000 shekels ($8,500) to guarantee the implementation of its orders.

Ein Samiya school was inaugurated in mid-January in coordination with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, with European funding.

The court gave the villagers two options: either to carry out self-demolition or to have the Israeli occupation’s bulldozers demolish the school at a cost which the villagers would have to cover.

Israel demolishing Palestinian schools – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

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