Kathmandu— As the new school year begins, Palestinian children in Masafer Yatta, a region of the southern occupied West Bank, are returning to classes under the shadow of potential demolition orders issued by Israel. On August 4th, administrative rooms and a storage room at Shaab al-Butum school were destroyed by Israeli forces, citing a lack of building permits – permits that Palestinians in Area C, under full Israeli control, find nearly impossible to obtain. The remaining structure is also facing legal challenges, with a court case scheduled for September 15th, leaving students and educators fearing the complete loss of their only local school.

School Damaged, Future Uncertain

Farah, Mohammed, and Jawad, aged 17, 8, and 7 respectively, are among the students preparing for the new academic year at Shaab al-Butum. Farah expressed her fear about what will happen to the school she has attended her entire life, while Mohammed worried that Israeli forces would return to demolish the rest of the building. Even Jawad, the youngest, voiced sadness over the damage and hoped the school could be restored. The start of the academic year, typically a time for optimism, is now marked by anxiety.

Wider Threat to Education

Nidal Younis, head of the Masafer Yatta local council, stated that these concerns reflect a broader threat facing education throughout the area, which has been repeatedly targeted by both Israeli authorities and settlers. He explained that Masafer Yatta was designated as a closed military firing zone in the 1980s, providing justification for ongoing attempts to displace Palestinian residents. Younis warned of an “unprecedented escalation” in demolitions and settler violence targeting schools and students, adding that all seven schools in the wider Masafer Yatta area are currently under threat.

Systematic Restrictions

Activist and teacher Tariq Hathaleen highlighted the insecurity caused by unpredictable demolition notices and expanding settlement outposts. He recalled an incident last academic year where settlers stormed Ras Ein al-Auja school in the Jordan Valley, attacking staff and students, demonstrating that schools are “no longer immune from attack.” According to Amir Dawoud of the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, 84 Palestinian schools serving nearly 13,000 students currently face demolition or stop-work orders, particularly in southern Hebron and near Bethlehem. He emphasized that these demolitions create long-term psychological and educational impacts even before any buildings are destroyed.

Beyond Buildings: Targeting Communities

Dawoud described the targeted schools as vital community hubs built by the Palestinian Ministry of Education to serve marginalized areas, stating they represent “more than just educational buildings.” He characterized Israel’s actions as a systematic pattern beginning with planning restrictions, compounded by road closures and settler attacks. “It does not only threaten school buildings,” Dawoud said. “It targets the ability of Palestinian communities to survive.”

Escalating Violence

Younis noted that the violence extends beyond physical structures, targeting students throughout their daily lives – while traveling to school, in classrooms, and even at home.

With a court case looming on September 15th, the future of Shaab al-Butum school, and other schools in Masafer Yatta, remains uncertain. Local Palestinians are determined to remain despite the ongoing challenges and what they describe as Israeli “barbarism.”

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.