Israel closed schools in a divided West Bank village near Bethlehem, apparently in an effort to curb children from throwing stones at Jewish settlers, Palestinian officials said Wednesday.
Israel ordered late Tuesday four schools shut for a month in the Arab village of al-Khader, preventing 2,000 students from attending classes, according to Mohammed al-Dibs, director of the Palestinian ministry of education in the Bethlehem area.
"We were informed by Israel about the closure of the four schools for a month," al-Dibs told AFP. "The schools have 2,000 boy and girl students. This is an unnecessary act. The clashes didn't occur during school hours, but in the afternoon.
"This action prevents children them from receiving an education," he added.
The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the closure.
Al-Khader, a frequent site of clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians, is divided into three sections -- one where Palestinians have full control, another where they have partial authority and a third where they have no jurisdiction at all.
Al Khader's four schools are clustered in the area fully controlled by Israel and abut a bypass road built so that Jewish settlers do not have to pass through Palestinian towns and villages when travelling in the West Bank.
Al-Dibs said the students in al-Khader would be allowed to attend already overcrowded schools in Palestinian-run areas in and around Bethlehem.
Palestinian policeman Salim Martiriya, 34, was declared brain dead after he was shot with a live bullet on the sidelines of a clash between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers in al-Khader on Tuesday – BETHLEHEM (AFP)
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