Israeli occupation municipality in occupied Jerusalem have issued an order to demolish part of al-Aqsa School and Kindergarten, the “Red Minaret” branch, located in Saadiya Quarter inside the Old City. The move is seen as a new step targeting Palestinian educational institutions in the city.
The Jerusalem Governorate, which is affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, said in a statement issued on Wednesday that the Israeli municipality handed the school’s management an official notice ordering the demolition of the upper part of the building. The area concerned is about 35 square metres. The school was given no more than one week to carry out the demolition itself, with a warning that the authorities would demolish it by force if the order is not carried out.
The statement said the notice is part of a systematic policy by the occupation authorities against Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, especially those in the Old City. It added that the aim is to pressure the education sector and impose a new reality that serves plans to Judaise the city and tighten control over it and its holy sites.
Al-Aqsa School and Kindergarten is considered an important educational institution in the Old City. It serves dozens of Palestinian children from Jerusalem and provides a learning environment at a time of severe shortages in Palestinian schools, due to Israeli restrictions on construction and licensing, which prevent the development or expansion of educational facilities.