Israeli forces fire tear gas on Palestinian school in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

SALFIT, Palestine (AA) – Dozens of Palestinian students were left choking and breathless on Wednesday after inhaling gas fired by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, according to medics.

Israeli forces raided the town of Qarawat Bani Hassan in Salfit and handed residents with eight demolition notices on the pretext of building without a permit in areas classified as C, local residents said.

Clashes erupted between angry Palestinian residents and Israeli forces, which fired tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd, the witnesses said.

A primary school for girls was struck by gas bombs, leaving several students choking and breathless, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three areas A, B, and C.

While Area A represents 18% of the West Bank and is controlled by the Palestinian Authority in terms of security and administration, Area B represents 21% of the territory and is subject to Palestinian civil administration and Israeli security control.

Area C, which represents 61% of the West Bank, is under Israel’s civil and security control.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli raids into Palestinian towns.

More than 230 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry. At least 35 Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, the highest toll since 2005.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi