NABLUS, Monday, October 15, 2018 (WAFA) – A number of Palestinians, including officials who defied an Israeli army order to close al-Lubban/al-Sawiyeh school in the north of the occupied West Bank, were hurt on Monday when Israeli soldiers attacked them as they protested the closure of the school, according to local sources.

They said the head of al-Lubban al-Sharqiyeh village council, Samer Owais, was hit by a rubber-coated metal bullet while Minister of Education, Sabri Saidam, and Nablus Governor Akram Rajoub, as well as many others were suffocated from inhaling tear gas fire by the soldiers at them.

A photojournalist who was covering the event was also hit by a tear gas canister and injured, said the sources. He was later evacuated to a hospital in nearby city of Nablus.

Saidam and other officials defied the Israeli army closure order and went to the school to protest the closure and to protect the students as they came to class.

However, Israeli soldiers closed off the roads leading to the school to prevent the students from reaching it and fired tear gas canisters at the students, their parents as well as the officials causing the injuries and suffocation. They also closed the school gates locking the students and people inside.

The Israeli authorities had informed the Palestinians on Sunday of its decision to shut down the school, which is located on Ramallah-Nablus road, until further notice under the pretext that students threw stones at Israeli soldiers.

K.T./M.K.