West Bank: armed Jewish settler attacks Palestinian children on first day back to school

An armed Jewish settler attacked children from Al-Ka’abneh School this morning in the Bedouin community of Arab Al-Malihat, north-west of Jericho in the occupied West Bank. According to Wafa news agency, the school serves the children of the Bedouin communities in the area, and this was their first day back at school after the summer break.

Local eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli settler, from the Zohar outpost, obstructed the Palestinian students on their way to their first day back at school, causing panic and fear among the children and preventing them from reaching their school.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education denounced the attack, labelling it as another crime in the ongoing series of offences committed by the occupation and illegal settlers against educational institutions across the country.

There are around 700,000 Jewish settlers living in 164 settlements and 116 so-called settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank. According to international law, all settlements and settlement outposts built in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal. Israel, however, distinguishes between the two, by claiming that settlements are legal, whereas outposts are set up without due process.

In recent months, illegal settlers have escalated their rampage against Palestinians and their properties throughout the occupied West Bank, ranging from arson attacks, stone-throwing against Palestinians and their vehicles, uprooting crops and olive trees, attacks on homes and the theft of livestock.

The Israeli military has been conducting regular raids in the West Bank over the past few years, but these have escalated since the start of the war against the Palestinians in Gaza last October. Palestinians have also faced violent attacks from illegal settlers.

Altogether, at least 692 Palestinians have been killed and more than 5,700 wounded by Israeli army fire in the occupied West Bank since October.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which the occupation state denies. In a recent advisory opinion, the ICJ has also declared the occupation to be illegal. While the court’s opinions are advisory, the law upon which they are based is binding.

READ: UN rights chief urges states to challenge Israel over occupation