Israel's planned demolition of Bedouin school concerns Italy

Rome, June 5 (IANS/AKI) Israeli authorities' plan to raze an illegally built Bedouin school in village east of Jerusalem concerns Italy and would "undermine" a two-state solution to Israel's conflict with the Palestinians, the Italian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"The Italian Foreign Ministry is following with great attention the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and especially the risk of the imminent demolition of the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar.

"The demolition would undermine the construction of a prospective adjacent Palestinian State and the subsequent two-State solution," the ministry said in a statement, urging Israel to spare Khan al-Ahmar's school.

The planned demolition of the so-called "Rubber Tyre School" financed by the Italian cooperation service and attended by 160 students from five different communities, follows a ruling in late May by Israeli Supreme Court.

Khan al-Ahmar is located under Area C, which the 1993 Oslo Accords classify as being under Israeli civil and security control, meaning Palestinians cannot obtain any building permits there.

Any structure built by Palestinians in Area C is considered illegal by the Israeli government and subject to demolition. However, on May 30, the Israeli Civil Administration approved the construction of 92 homes for Kfar Adumim, just one kilometre from Khan al-Ahmar - among several thousand that have been authorised to be built in the West Bank.

"In reaffirming that the policy to expand settlements is in violation of international law and risks making the two-State solution unfeasible, the Italian Foreign Ministry also expresses great concern over the approval of more than 3,000 dwelling units in the West Bank, including in the settlement of Kfar Adumim, located near Khan Al Ahmar," the ministry said.

--IANS/AKI

vd