Irish and UK unions oppose Palestine school demolition

Leading Irish and UK trade unions representing education workers in schools, colleges and universities have expressed their shock and condemnation in respect of the imminent demolition of yet another school in the West Bank.

The unions understand that on 6 March, the Israeli Central Court rejected a petition filed by Palestinians against the demolition of the school in Jubbet ad Dib. The Court gave the Civil Administration a period of 60 days to demolish the school.

These demolitions are happening despite Israel signing the Optional Protocol to the Rights of the Child in Armed Conflict on 14 November 2001, ratified on 18 July 2005. Israel is also a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including Articles 25, 26 & 27; and a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including Articles 28, 29, 30 and 31. These articles of international law are being violated as schools are being demolished.

As education trade unions who are committed to the realisation of rights under the Universal Declaration and the UN convention on the Rights of the Child, and whose members dedicate their professional lives to children and young people’s education, the group of unions have today immediately called for a halt to the demolition of this school in letters to the Israeli Ambassador to Ireland.

Click here to read and share the letter to Her Excellency Lironne Bar Sadeh, Ambassador of Israel to Ireland.

Signatories to the letters include:

  • Andrea Bradley, General Secretary, EIS (The Educational Institute of Scotland)
  • Kevin Callinan, General Secretary, FORSA
  • John Boyle, General Secretary, INTO (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation)
  • Michael Gillespie, General Secretary, TUI (Teachers’ Union of Ireland)
  • Patrick Roach, General Secretary, NASUWT (the Techers’ Union)
  • Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries, NEU (National Education Union)
  • Jo Grady, General Secretary, UCU (University and College Union)
  • Christina McAnea, General Secretary, Unison