LONDON: Tor Wennesland, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East, said on Monday that he was “deeply disturbed” by Israel’s demolition of an EU-funded Palestinian primary school for the children in Jubbet adh Dhib village.
The demolition was carried out on Sunday following an Israeli court ruling citing safety concerns in response to a petition filed by a settlement organization. It has an immediate impact on the education of at least 40 Palestinian children.
Wennesland stated that 58 schools serving 6,500 children are currently under threat of demolition due to a shortage of building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to get. He underscored the need to respect a child’s right to education.
“I call on Israeli authorities to cease such demolitions and evictions which are illegal under international law, and to approve plans for Palestinian communities to build legally in Area C to address their development needs, including for schools,” the special coordinator added.
Last week during the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee meeting in Brussels, Wennesland reiterated that such acts that negatively impact basic service delivery for Palestinians threaten stability and undermine the Palestinian Authority. Moreover, he said that acts which incite conflict, such as demolitions, foster an atmosphere of mistrust and animosity between Palestinians and Israelis, undermining the chances of reaching a political agreement.
