As trade unions in the UK and Ireland representing educations workers in schools, colleges and universities, we are shocked and dismayed to hear of the imminent demolition of yet another school in the West Bank.
We understand that on 6 March, the Israeli Central Court rejected a petition filed by Palestinians against the demolition of the school Jubbet ad Dib. The Court gave the Civil Administration a period of 60 days to demolish the school.
These demolitions are happening despite Israel signing the Optional Protocol to the Rights of the Child in Armed Conflict on 14 November 2001, ratified on 18 July 2005.
Israel is also a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including Articles 25, 26 & 27; and a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including Articles 28, 29, 30 and 31. These articles of international law are being violated as schools are being demolished.
As education trade unions who are committed to the realisation of rights under the Universal Declaration and the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, and whose members dedicate their professional lives to children and young people’s education, this is a situation that we are profoundly concerned about, that we understand to be completely beyond the law, and that we call upon the Israeli authorities to bring to an immediate end.
We urge the Israeli Government immediately to call a halt to demolition of Jubbet ad Dib, along with other planned demolitions of schools in the West Bank.
Such violations of Palestinian rights and international law are inextricably linked to the occupation of the Palestinian territories, which Israel must bring to an end.
Signed:
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