RAMALLAH, Sunday, June 02, 2019 (WAFA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned yesterday recently announced Israeli plans to auction two prefabricated classrooms that were donated to Palestinian schoolchildren by the European Union.

According to a report published by the British daily The Guardian, the classrooms, which were torn down and confiscated by Israeli forces in October last year, will be put up for sale next week.

They had been intended for 49 Palestinian students of primary school age in the northern occupied West Bank village of Ibziq.

In a statement, the ministry described the planned auction as a “blatant disregard to the European Union, its principles and positions, and its appeals and demands to the occupation authorities to stop the destruction of facilities funded by the EU.”

“International condemnations and appeals to stop the violations and crimes of the occupation are no longer sufficient. Effective European and international measures are needed to deter the occupation authorities and force them to abide by international law and its resolutions,” the statement added.

The EU mission to Jerusalem and Ramallah has already condemned the move, and called on Israeli authorities to rebuild the structures in the same place “without delay.”

“[The] EU calls upon the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law,” it said at the time.

Area C constitutes about 61 percent of the entire West Bank and it is directly controlled by the Israeli military, which demands permits for new building projects. Nevertheless, the majority of planning requests are firmly denied, leaving international donors and Palestinians alike with no choice but to construct new schools anyway.

M.N