Demolition of a school under construction in the village of Aqaba

On Augustus 5, 2025, Israeli bulldozers began the demolition of a school under construction in the village of Al-Aqaba east of Tubas.

Director of Education in Tubas, Azmi Bsharat, said Israeli forces, accompanied by bulldozers, stormed the village of Al-Aqaba and proceeded to demolish the school, which was funded by the French Agency.

The occupation had issued a stop-work order against the school several months ago and had also seized heavy machinery that was being used at the site. Despite plans being submitted to the Civil Administration and assurances a court ruling would be awaited, the demolition proceeded on August 5.

The school was intended to be a two-storey building, covering an area of 704 square meters, and constructed on a five-dunum plot of land.

Report from UNOCAH:

On 5 August, Israeli authorities demolished a donor-funded under-construction school intended to serve approximately 90 students in Al ‘Aqaba village, in Tubas governorate. Previously on 24 June 2024, a stop-work order was issued against the project, and a cement mixer and bulldozer were confiscated and held for about a month by Israeli forces. In late August 2024, the Al ‘Aqaba village council submitted the project plans and requests for permits to the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) and received a response stating that the demolition would not proceed until a decision is made by the court. Nonetheless, the ICA proceeded with the demolition on 5 August 2025. The planned school was intended to replace the existing governmental village school, which operates under poor conditions, lacking adequate infrastructure and essential facilities.

France Foreign Ministry statement:

On Augustus 15, “France strongly condemns the destruction by Israeli authorities of a school under construction in the northern West Bank, funded by the French Development Agency in cooperation with the European Union. We are demanding accountability from the Israeli authorities for this demolition”

The ministry said it is the second demolition of a French-funded project in the West Bank, after the Al-Bustan center in East Jerusalem : “The continuation of the settlement policy constitutes a serious violation of international law and threatens the prospect of a two-state solution,”

Palestinian students hold flags and placards on the rubble of their destroyed aqaba mixed basic school protesting against its demolition by Israeli forces in the village of Aqaba. Photo by Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images