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Photo:
Scene. Published by IMEMC News

Palestinians displaced amid increasing settler violence in 2022-2023. Published by UN-OCHA
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by IMEMC News
Aug 17, 2023

Israeli occupation authorities demolished, on Wednesday, a school in the village of Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah, in the central West Bank, according to local sources.

Hassan Malihat, the general supervisor of Al-Baydar Organization for the Defense of Bedouin Rights, said that Israeli forces bulldozed the “Ein Samiya” school, which serves the Palestinian Bedouin community in Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah.

The head of the Kafr Malik village council, Najeh Rustom, confirmed that Israeli forces stormed the “Al-Qaboun” community, accompanied by military bulldozers, and demolished the only school in the village, serving 50 students from grades 1 through 9.

Rustom further stated that illegal Israeli settlers attacked the school just days ago, smashing the windows, and damaging the contents of the school.

He added that many of the local residents were displaced as a result of the escalating settler attacks against the community.

A new report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that, “The school served pupils from the few Palestinian families remaining in the herding community of Ein Samiya, following the displacement of most of the community amid settler violence and diminishing grazing land.”

“According to UNICEF, 3 schools have been demolished across the West Bank in the last 12 months, impacting 78 students.”

The report added that according to UNICEF, at least 58 other schools in the occupied West Bank face similar risk of demolition by the Israeli authorities.
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United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN_OCHA_

Press briefing by the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
Aug 17, 2023

“From the occupied Palestinian territory, our humanitarian colleagues there just informed us that, today, an elementary school for Palestinian children ages 6 to 12 was demolished in the West Bank area of Ein Samiya, just a few days before the start of the school year.

“According to UNICEF, three schools have been demolished across the West Bank in the last 12 months, impacting 78 students.

“The school served pupils from the few Palestinian families remaining in the herding community of Ein Samiya, following the displacement of most of the community amid settler violence and diminishing grazing land.

“We and our partners are currently assessing the urgent needs of 60 communities facing similar challenges.”

Background from OCHA
UNICEF indicates that some 58 schools across the occupied Palestinian territory are under the threat of demolition by the Israeli authorities.

Since 2022, OCHA has recorded the displacement of at least 477 Palestinians from seven herding communities. Three of these communities are now empty.