16 nov 2017
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) claimed they detained at dawn Thursday about 30 Palestinian citizens, mostly university students from the Islamic Bloc of Hamas, during arrest campaign in different West Bank areas.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that a large number of Israeli troops aboard military vehicles stormed different neighborhoods of Nablus city at dawn and kidnapped several young men from their homes.
Some of the detainees were identified as Mousa Duwaikat, representative of the Islamic Bloc and member of an-Najah University’s student council, Mohamed Ramadan, Ahmed Dirwish, and Bara al-Amer. All of them are university students
The IOF also kidnapped a young man called Walid al-Ashqar, a resident of Kafr Qallil town, from his workplace near the headquarters of the Nablus municipality as well as two other young men from their homes in the city.
In al-Khalil, local sources told the PIC that the IOF broke into and ransacked a house in Khirbet Tawwas, west of Dura town, and rounded up a young man called Abdul-Hakim Abu Arqoub.
The IOF also kidnapped a female student at Palestine Polytechnic University during a campaign in al-Khalil. She was identified as Bayan Khamaysa.
10 other young men were taken prisoners during IOF campaigns in Bethlehem and Jenin, according to different local sources.
In Qalqilya, the IOF stormed and searched the house of Shaker Radwan in Azzun town and demanded him to turn in his son, Mohamed, who was not at home during the raid.
The IOF also launched campaigns in Qalandiya refugee camp and Kafr Aqab neighborhood in Jerusalem and detained three young men identified as Hasan Sajdiya, Mahmoud al-Lawzi and Jihad al-Sanjalawi.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that a large number of Israeli troops aboard military vehicles stormed different neighborhoods of Nablus city at dawn and kidnapped several young men from their homes.
Some of the detainees were identified as Mousa Duwaikat, representative of the Islamic Bloc and member of an-Najah University’s student council, Mohamed Ramadan, Ahmed Dirwish, and Bara al-Amer. All of them are university students
The IOF also kidnapped a young man called Walid al-Ashqar, a resident of Kafr Qallil town, from his workplace near the headquarters of the Nablus municipality as well as two other young men from their homes in the city.
In al-Khalil, local sources told the PIC that the IOF broke into and ransacked a house in Khirbet Tawwas, west of Dura town, and rounded up a young man called Abdul-Hakim Abu Arqoub.
The IOF also kidnapped a female student at Palestine Polytechnic University during a campaign in al-Khalil. She was identified as Bayan Khamaysa.
10 other young men were taken prisoners during IOF campaigns in Bethlehem and Jenin, according to different local sources.
In Qalqilya, the IOF stormed and searched the house of Shaker Radwan in Azzun town and demanded him to turn in his son, Mohamed, who was not at home during the raid.
The IOF also launched campaigns in Qalandiya refugee camp and Kafr Aqab neighborhood in Jerusalem and detained three young men identified as Hasan Sajdiya, Mahmoud al-Lawzi and Jihad al-Sanjalawi.
Another two European-funded Palestinian schools in the occupied West Bank are threatened with demolition and seizure by the Israeli occupation authority.
The schools in Wadi as-Seeq and al-Muntar were built last year with European donor funding as humanitarian relief aid for Palestinian Bedouin communities lacking basic services.
The schools serve children of displaced and refugee communities who have already suffered destruction of their property by Israel over many years.
The schools are now the subject of Israeli court proceedings that could lead to their destruction and seizure. The hearings are scheduled for November 20 and December 10, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
The NRC said its information counseling and legal aid program would provide legal assistance to the communities in court.
“Once again, Palestinian children are facing the traumatic prospect of turning up for school and finding that it no longer exists,” the NRC’s country director in Palestine, Kate O’Rourke, said.
“Once again we have to ask: Why are children being denied their fundamental right to education? This attack on schools is part of a wider drive to forcibly transfer Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem to create space for illegal settlement expansion,” O’Rourke added.
Headmaster of al-Muntar school, Wisam Merei, warned that “If the school was demolished, most of the children would drop out.”
A community representative and parent, Abu Hasan, confirmed these concerns and said that “children do not have any other place to study in his community. This school allows local children to study without having to leave their community and use risky roads close to the nearby settlement.”
The Wadi as-Seeq community has received 11 stop-work orders for their structures in the last nine years. Two structures were demolished in 2012 and 2014, and all mobile latrines provided by a local NGO in 2011 were confiscated by the Israeli army’s civil administration, which is now also attempting to seize the school from the community.
"We call on the governments and donors funding Palestinian children’s education to increase diplomatic pressure to prevent the demolition and seizure of school infrastructure, which is in violation of international humanitarian law and all children’s basic right to education,” O’Rourke said.
“The destruction of educational structures is not just a violation of international law, it also demonstrates contempt towards the international community’s provision of aid to the occupied Palestinian population, to ensure safe places for children to learn,” she added.
“Earlier this year, the Israeli authorities destroyed and damaged three other schools in the West Bank funded by international assistance, just before children were due to go back to school after the summer break,” according to the NRC.
“More than 60 schools in the West Bank are currently at risk of demolition, and children in schools across the West Bank face attacks on their right to education,” the NRC stated.
“In the first half of 2017 alone, 93 education-related incidents affecting 13,906 students were documented in the West Bank, including incidents where children were arrested from their classrooms and exposed to harassment at checkpoints.”
The schools in Wadi as-Seeq and al-Muntar were built last year with European donor funding as humanitarian relief aid for Palestinian Bedouin communities lacking basic services.
The schools serve children of displaced and refugee communities who have already suffered destruction of their property by Israel over many years.
The schools are now the subject of Israeli court proceedings that could lead to their destruction and seizure. The hearings are scheduled for November 20 and December 10, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
The NRC said its information counseling and legal aid program would provide legal assistance to the communities in court.
“Once again, Palestinian children are facing the traumatic prospect of turning up for school and finding that it no longer exists,” the NRC’s country director in Palestine, Kate O’Rourke, said.
“Once again we have to ask: Why are children being denied their fundamental right to education? This attack on schools is part of a wider drive to forcibly transfer Palestinian communities in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem to create space for illegal settlement expansion,” O’Rourke added.
Headmaster of al-Muntar school, Wisam Merei, warned that “If the school was demolished, most of the children would drop out.”
A community representative and parent, Abu Hasan, confirmed these concerns and said that “children do not have any other place to study in his community. This school allows local children to study without having to leave their community and use risky roads close to the nearby settlement.”
The Wadi as-Seeq community has received 11 stop-work orders for their structures in the last nine years. Two structures were demolished in 2012 and 2014, and all mobile latrines provided by a local NGO in 2011 were confiscated by the Israeli army’s civil administration, which is now also attempting to seize the school from the community.
"We call on the governments and donors funding Palestinian children’s education to increase diplomatic pressure to prevent the demolition and seizure of school infrastructure, which is in violation of international humanitarian law and all children’s basic right to education,” O’Rourke said.
“The destruction of educational structures is not just a violation of international law, it also demonstrates contempt towards the international community’s provision of aid to the occupied Palestinian population, to ensure safe places for children to learn,” she added.
“Earlier this year, the Israeli authorities destroyed and damaged three other schools in the West Bank funded by international assistance, just before children were due to go back to school after the summer break,” according to the NRC.
“More than 60 schools in the West Bank are currently at risk of demolition, and children in schools across the West Bank face attacks on their right to education,” the NRC stated.
“In the first half of 2017 alone, 93 education-related incidents affecting 13,906 students were documented in the West Bank, including incidents where children were arrested from their classrooms and exposed to harassment at checkpoints.”
Palestinians in the village of Deir Nitham, near Ramallah in the central West Bank, have been unable to leave their village since Monday, when Israeli forces closed the gate through the Wall that allowed villagers to access the rest of the world.
Now, the entire population of the village has been imprisoned, sealed off from any access to schools, hospitals, stores and work, since the Israeli military decided to punish the village in retaliation for alleged stone-throwing by some village youth.
Deir Nitham is located in between areas that Israel is attempting to annex to Greater Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, so the Israeli government constructed the Annexation Wall around the village, only allowing villagers in and out at certain times.
According to the Israeli military, the village was sealed because of stone-throwing by youth from the village towards a road used by Israeli settlers to access their housing development, constructed on what used to be village land.
The Israeli Jewish-only settlement was constructed on land that was confiscated by the Israeli military for ‘security purposes’, then turned over to private Israeli developers to transfer Israeli civilians onto the land.
According to villagers, since the town was sealed off, Israeli soldiers have entered and raided homes, as well as patrolling the streets of the village and telling villagers they are there to “protect the Israeli settlers” from stone throwing.
The United Nations has repeatedly condemned this ghettoization of towns like Deir Nitham, and the sealing of entire villages, as a form of ‘collective punishment’ which is a direct violation of Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Now, the entire population of the village has been imprisoned, sealed off from any access to schools, hospitals, stores and work, since the Israeli military decided to punish the village in retaliation for alleged stone-throwing by some village youth.
Deir Nitham is located in between areas that Israel is attempting to annex to Greater Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank, so the Israeli government constructed the Annexation Wall around the village, only allowing villagers in and out at certain times.
According to the Israeli military, the village was sealed because of stone-throwing by youth from the village towards a road used by Israeli settlers to access their housing development, constructed on what used to be village land.
The Israeli Jewish-only settlement was constructed on land that was confiscated by the Israeli military for ‘security purposes’, then turned over to private Israeli developers to transfer Israeli civilians onto the land.
According to villagers, since the town was sealed off, Israeli soldiers have entered and raided homes, as well as patrolling the streets of the village and telling villagers they are there to “protect the Israeli settlers” from stone throwing.
The United Nations has repeatedly condemned this ghettoization of towns like Deir Nitham, and the sealing of entire villages, as a form of ‘collective punishment’ which is a direct violation of Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention.
13 nov 2017
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested, Monday afternoon, a Palestinian child from al-Khalil’s Old City, south of West Bank.
As he was leaving his school, the child was brutally attacked by an Israeli settlers living in a nearby settlement illegally built in the area.
The child tried to defend himself, however; IOF soldiers intervened and arrested the schoolboy.
The detained minor was then taken to unknown detention center.
As he was leaving his school, the child was brutally attacked by an Israeli settlers living in a nearby settlement illegally built in the area.
The child tried to defend himself, however; IOF soldiers intervened and arrested the schoolboy.
The detained minor was then taken to unknown detention center.
12 nov 2017
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Sunday morning, Teqoua’ town, east of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, and fired several live rounds, gas bombs and concussion, causing many children to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
Taiseer Abu Mfarreh, the head of Teqoua’ Local Council, said the soldiers harassed several children, an issued that pushed some Palestinians to throw stones at them, and added that the army fired live rounds, gas bombs and concussion grenades.
He also stated that many Palestinians, mainly children and teachers, suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation.
Taiseer Abu Mfarreh, the head of Teqoua’ Local Council, said the soldiers harassed several children, an issued that pushed some Palestinians to throw stones at them, and added that the army fired live rounds, gas bombs and concussion grenades.
He also stated that many Palestinians, mainly children and teachers, suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation.
9 nov 2017
Dozens of Israeli soldiers surrounded many, Thursday, schools in the Old City of Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, and prevented students and staffers from entering them, in an attempt to stop planned commemorations of late Palestinian President Yasser Arafat.
Aref Jaber, a local human rights activist, said dozens of soldiers surrounded a school, near Keryat Arba’ illegal colony, before preventing students, their families and teachers from entering it.
He added that the Palestinians eventually managed to enter the school, despite the extensive military deployment.
The soldiers also surrounded the al-Hajiriya School, and Hebron Elementary School, in the southern area of Hebron city, prevented the students from entering them, and fired many gas bombs, causing many Palestinians, mainly children, to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
Aref Jaber, a local human rights activist, said dozens of soldiers surrounded a school, near Keryat Arba’ illegal colony, before preventing students, their families and teachers from entering it.
He added that the Palestinians eventually managed to enter the school, despite the extensive military deployment.
The soldiers also surrounded the al-Hajiriya School, and Hebron Elementary School, in the southern area of Hebron city, prevented the students from entering them, and fired many gas bombs, causing many Palestinians, mainly children, to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
6 nov 2017
Israeli soldiers invaded, Monday, a Palestinian school in Beit Hanina neighborhood, north of occupied Jerusalem, abducted the principal along with three female teachers, and shut the school down.
The Union of Parents Committees in East Jerusalem Schools said many soldiers invaded Zahwat al-Quds School, in Beit Hanina, causing anxiety attacks among many children, and abducted the principal, Mona al-Karawi, and two teachers, before taking the three women to an interrogation center.
The school later announced receiving an order issue by the City Council, shutting the school down, and informing the families that they needed to transfer their children to other schools.
The school and the Union of Parents Committee called for a protest, on Tuesday morning, in the school, to condemn the invasion into the educational facility, and the abduction of the principal and the teachers.
The Union of Parents Committees in East Jerusalem Schools said many soldiers invaded Zahwat al-Quds School, in Beit Hanina, causing anxiety attacks among many children, and abducted the principal, Mona al-Karawi, and two teachers, before taking the three women to an interrogation center.
The school later announced receiving an order issue by the City Council, shutting the school down, and informing the families that they needed to transfer their children to other schools.
The school and the Union of Parents Committee called for a protest, on Tuesday morning, in the school, to condemn the invasion into the educational facility, and the abduction of the principal and the teachers.
5 nov 2017
Israeli soldiers abducted, earlier on Sunday morning, seven Palestinians, from their homes, in different parts of the occupied West Bank, confiscated money, and detained many schoolteachers.
The soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes in Jenin, in northern West Bank, before violently searching them, and illegally confiscated thousands of Shekels.
Furthermore, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said the soldiers abducted seven Palestinians in the West Bank, five of them have been identified as:
The soldiers also summoned several Palestinians, including Wa’el Ka’bi and his son Nidal, for interrogation in Huwwara military base, south of Nablus, in northern West Bank.
In Jenin, in northern West Bank, the soldiers invaded al-‘Amarna and al-Ba’jawi neighborhoods, in the city, in addition to the villages and towns of Ya’bad, Rommana, Zabbouba, Ta’nak and Toura, and installed many roadblocks, before stopping and searching dozens of Palestinians and cars.
In Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, the soldiers invaded Masafer Yatta area, south of the city, and briefly detained many schoolteachers, after confiscating a car, owned by Suleiman Abu Sabha.
The soldiers closed the area, and prevented the Palestinians from entering or leaving it, after declaring it a “closed military zone.”
The soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes in Jenin, in northern West Bank, before violently searching them, and illegally confiscated thousands of Shekels.
Furthermore, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said the soldiers abducted seven Palestinians in the West Bank, five of them have been identified as:
- Adnan Ali Saleh, from Balata refugee camp in Nablus.
- Nidal Abu Fa’oor, from Balata refugee camp in Nablus.
- Amir Abu Shahin, from Balata refugee camp in Nablus.
- Ahmad Abu Zneid, from Shu’fat refugee camp, in Jerusalem.
- Walid Abdul-Mon’em Joudallah, from Nablus, but was taken prisoner from work, in Bethlehem.
The soldiers also summoned several Palestinians, including Wa’el Ka’bi and his son Nidal, for interrogation in Huwwara military base, south of Nablus, in northern West Bank.
In Jenin, in northern West Bank, the soldiers invaded al-‘Amarna and al-Ba’jawi neighborhoods, in the city, in addition to the villages and towns of Ya’bad, Rommana, Zabbouba, Ta’nak and Toura, and installed many roadblocks, before stopping and searching dozens of Palestinians and cars.
In Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, the soldiers invaded Masafer Yatta area, south of the city, and briefly detained many schoolteachers, after confiscating a car, owned by Suleiman Abu Sabha.
The soldiers closed the area, and prevented the Palestinians from entering or leaving it, after declaring it a “closed military zone.”
30 oct 2017
The Directorate of Education in Jenin condemned on Sunday Israel’s escalated arrest campaigns targeting Palestinians students in the northern West Bank province.
Director of Education Directorate in Jenin, Tareq Alawneh, revealed in a press statement issued Sunday evening that 11 Palestinian students were detained last week from Jenin schools.
Most of the reported arrests were carried out in Yabad town, he pointed out.
Alawneh declared the intention to hold a series of events and protests demanding the urgent release of those detained students.
Director of Education Directorate in Jenin, Tareq Alawneh, revealed in a press statement issued Sunday evening that 11 Palestinian students were detained last week from Jenin schools.
Most of the reported arrests were carried out in Yabad town, he pointed out.
Alawneh declared the intention to hold a series of events and protests demanding the urgent release of those detained students.
25 oct 2017
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed, Wednesday afternoon, al-Khalil city, restricting local residents’ movement.
IOF broke into the Ibn Rushd roundabout, in the center of the city, which led to the outbreak of limited clashes with Palestinian students who were leaving the schools at the time.
A severe traffic jam was caused in the city during the raid.
IOF broke into the Ibn Rushd roundabout, in the center of the city, which led to the outbreak of limited clashes with Palestinian students who were leaving the schools at the time.
A severe traffic jam was caused in the city during the raid.
24 oct 2017
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) prevented Tuesday Palestinian students from reaching their school in Umm al-Rayhan town, located behind the Apartheid Wall south of Jenin, for the second consecutive day.
Local sources told PIC reporter that IOF continued for the second day to close the Iron Gate, the sole link between the town and the nearby areas.
The village council called on official and rights bodies to intervene urgently to lift Israeli military restrictions imposed at the entrance to Umm al-Rayhan
Local sources told PIC reporter that IOF continued for the second day to close the Iron Gate, the sole link between the town and the nearby areas.
The village council called on official and rights bodies to intervene urgently to lift Israeli military restrictions imposed at the entrance to Umm al-Rayhan
21 oct 2017
Japan’s Representative Office to Palestine, Thursday, signed two grants to fund the construction of additional classrooms in two secondary schools in the Jenin-district village of Kufr Dan and Nablus-district village of Farkha.
Japan’s ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative to Palestine Takeshi Okubo and a representative of Kufr Dan municipality signed a US$90,690 grant contract at the office of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Ramallah.
The funds will be used for the construction of a new building consisting of three classrooms in Kufr Dan Secondary Boys School, according to WAFA.
“This project aims at securing extra classrooms and creating more efficient learning environment for 88 fifth-grade students. Once the project is implemented, the current fifth grade classrooms will be used by first-grade students who are currently studying at rented classrooms,” a press statement from the representative office said.
Separately, Okubu and a representative of Farkha Village Council signed a US$89,851 grant contract for the construction of an additional floor consisting of four classrooms (each 48 m²) in Farkha Secondary Girls School.
“This project aims at securing extra classrooms and creating more efficient learning environment. Once the project is implemented, the 4 new classrooms will be used by 76 students of 9th -12th grades,” a statement from the representative office read.
Okubo emphasized Japan’s firm commitment to supporting the Palestinian people from human security perspective, as well as the importance of implementing social and economic development projects needed for Palestinian communities.
Since 1993, Japan’s assistance to Palestinians has amounted to approximately $1.8 billion.
Japan’s ambassador for Palestinian Affairs and Representative to Palestine Takeshi Okubo and a representative of Kufr Dan municipality signed a US$90,690 grant contract at the office of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Ramallah.
The funds will be used for the construction of a new building consisting of three classrooms in Kufr Dan Secondary Boys School, according to WAFA.
“This project aims at securing extra classrooms and creating more efficient learning environment for 88 fifth-grade students. Once the project is implemented, the current fifth grade classrooms will be used by first-grade students who are currently studying at rented classrooms,” a press statement from the representative office said.
Separately, Okubu and a representative of Farkha Village Council signed a US$89,851 grant contract for the construction of an additional floor consisting of four classrooms (each 48 m²) in Farkha Secondary Girls School.
“This project aims at securing extra classrooms and creating more efficient learning environment. Once the project is implemented, the 4 new classrooms will be used by 76 students of 9th -12th grades,” a statement from the representative office read.
Okubo emphasized Japan’s firm commitment to supporting the Palestinian people from human security perspective, as well as the importance of implementing social and economic development projects needed for Palestinian communities.
Since 1993, Japan’s assistance to Palestinians has amounted to approximately $1.8 billion.
18 oct 2017
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Wednesday evening arrested a schoolgirl from al-Nu'man village to the east of Bethlehem at Mazmuria checkpoint while she was returning from school and took her to an unknown destination.
Jamal Dar'awi, the head of the Nu'man village council, said that the IOF soldiers claimed that Lina Shawawra, 16, was trying to enter her besieged village through an iron gate in the separation wall and that she had no proof that she is a resident of the village.
Dar'awi added that such allegations are repeatedly used by the Israeli soldiers to crack down on the citizens of the village.
Jamal Dar'awi, the head of the Nu'man village council, said that the IOF soldiers claimed that Lina Shawawra, 16, was trying to enter her besieged village through an iron gate in the separation wall and that she had no proof that she is a resident of the village.
Dar'awi added that such allegations are repeatedly used by the Israeli soldiers to crack down on the citizens of the village.