Amman, July 15 (Petra) – The Senate's Palestine Committee condemned the raid by extremist Israeli Knesset member Zvi Sukkot on the Islamic Orphanage Secondary School in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem.

The committee, chaired by Senator Mazen Darwazeh, denounced what it described as a barbaric attack on the school's facilities, including the destruction of a banner displaying a map of historical Palestine alongside the Palestinian flag, and the throwing of an Islamic education textbook onto the ground.

It said the racist and provocative act reflects the extremist mentality governing the Israeli occupation.

The committee said that the attack was not directed at a single school, but part of a systematic policy pursued by what it described as the most extremist and racist Israeli government in the country's history.

It said the policy aims to erase Palestinian national identity, obliterate historical memory and target educational, religious and cultural institutions in occupied Jerusalem, in flagrant violation of international law, the Geneva Conventions and relevant United Nations resolutions.

The committee stated that the actions of the chair of the Knesset Education Committee including destroying symbols of Palestinian identity, vandalising an Islamic education textbook and threatening to close the school demonstrate the extent of the hatred and extremism that now govern the institutions of the occupation.

It said the actions confirm that racism is no longer merely an individual practice, but has become an official policy adopted by the Israeli occupation government, in blatant defiance of the international community and with unprecedented disregard for international law and universal human values.

The committee said the Israeli practices are part of an ongoing series of violations targeting occupied Jerusalem, its Islamic and Christian holy sites and its educational and national institutions, in what it described as a continued attempt to impose the reality of occupation by force, Judaise the city and alter its Arab Palestinian identity.

It called on the international community, the UN Security Council, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and all relevant international organisations to break their silence and take decisive, deterrent measures to halt attacks by the occupation authorities and extremist settlers. It called for holding Israeli officials and settlers responsible for the violations and provide protection for Palestinian educational institutions that it said are being systematically targeted in violation of international law and conventions.

The committee reiterated its full support for the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem and their continued defence of their land, identity and holy sites.

It affirmed that all attempts by the occupation to erase Palestinian identity, falsify history or intimidate educational institutions will fail to break the resolve of the people of Jerusalem or deprive them of what it described as their legitimate right to their land and homeland.

The committee reaffirmed that the historic Hashemite Custodianship of the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, entrusted to His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein, remains a safeguard for the city's identity and holy sites.

It added that Jordan's continued efforts, under His Majesty's leadership, will remain a bulwark against what it described as escalating Israeli policies of Judaisation and aggression.

//Petra// AK