Israel´s partial demolition of a school in the Bedouin community of Abu Nuwar in the occupied West Bank has been condemned as plans to expand nearby settlements move forward through the forced displacement of Palestinian communities.   

The 670 Palestinians in Abu Nawar, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, have been living under constant threat of expulsion by the Israeli military. This was the sixth demolition and confiscation incident targeting the school serving 26 children since February 2016. Houses and basic infrastructure like water facilities are routinely demolished in early morning raids by the Israeli military.

Abu Nawar is one of 46 Palestinian communities Israel wants to expel in order to enable the construction of a massive settlement corridor into East Jerusalem. This is part of Israel’s annexation plans, emboldened by President Trump´s recent declaration on moving the US embassy to Jerusalem.

GUE/NGL MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis, chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Palestine, reiterated Israel´s obligations under international law, calling for the EU to rebuke Israel with practical measures:

“We condemn Israel´s threats and actions against Abu Nawar and other Palestinian communities in the Jerusalem periphery who live under threat of expulsion so to give way for the expansion of illegal settlements.”

“Israel´s policy of demolitions to displace whole Palestinian communities are planned and systematic and they violate international law. No children should live with fear of losing their home or school. Early morning raids of Palestinian communities have been a daily occurrence for decades. It is high time for the EU to move from words to action.”

“Israel´s actions threaten the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders and the establishment of an independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel and with Jerusalem as the capital of both states, on the basis of the right to self-determination and full respect for international law,” Sylikiotis concluded.