Israeli occupation forces raided the campus of Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank at dawn on Tuesday The New Arab reported.
Israeli soldiers broke into campus at around 4 am after beating the guards, and forced their way into the faculties of science, engineering, pharmacology, and postgraduate studies, sources at the university told The New Arab.
From the clashes that broke out with Israeli occupation forces in Birzeit town after raiding Birzeit University, pre dawn today. 🐝#FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/5AbuAPzlPC
— 𝖇𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖊𝖊 🐝 (@we_stand_as_one) December 14, 2021
The soldiers searched the faculties’ buildings and other campus facilities for two hours, damaging some of the contents inside, according to the sources.
We express our grave concern over and denunciation of the raid on Birzeit University main campus by Israeli occupation forces in the early morning. These attacks are direct violations of international laws that forbid any violation against the #right_of_education @Right2Edu pic.twitter.com/gwGpw2Fj1b
— Birzeit University (@BirzeitU) December 14, 2021
Dr. Ghassan Al-Khatib, deputy to the university president, described the raid as “a dangerous escalation against education in Palestine”.
“The raid directly threatens academic freedom and university life, and comes as a continuation of the Israeli attack against Palestinian society in general,” he told The New Arab.
🚨 The harassment and targeting of Palestinian universities and students directly impede Palestinians' right to education and violate Israel’s obligation as an Occupying Power to protect educational institutions.https://t.co/0FtrcGkY6h
— Addameer –الضمير (@Addameer) December 15, 2021
Birzeit University is one the oldest and largest Palestinian universities in the West Bank, with around 14,500 registered students in 2020, according to university records.
About 70 students from Birzeit University are currently under Israeli arrest, according to the spokesperson.
(The New Arab, PC, Social Media)
