Israeli demolition order targets Al-Aqsa Schools in Al-Quds

According to a statement released Wednesday by the Al-Quds Governorate, the municipality delivered an official notice to the school administration ordering it to demolish the upper section of the building at its own expense.

The school was given no more than one week to carry out the demolition itself, under threats that the municipality would use force to execute the measure if it was not complied with.

“The demolition notice is part of a systematic policy pursued by the occupation authorities against Palestinian institutions in Al-Quds, particularly those located inside the Old City. The aim is to restrict the educational process and impose a new reality that serves plans of Judaization and control in the city and its holy sites,” the Jerusalem Governorate said.

The Al-Quds Governorate warned of serious repercussions to result from the demolition order, which targets the right of Jerusalemite children to education.

It added that the measure exacerbates the suffering of Al-Quds residents’ families, who already face great difficulties in securing school seats for their children inside the city, amid Israeli policies aimed at reducing the Palestinian presence in the holy city.

Al-Aqsa Islamic Schools, including its kindergarten, is considered one of the important educational institutions in the Old City, serving dozens of Jerusalemite children and providing them with a learning environment amid a severe shortage of Palestinian schools. This shortage stems from Israeli restrictions on construction and licensing, which prevent the development or expansion of educational facilities.