Israeli army destroys parts of historic school In Quneitra
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Israeli forces destroyed on Thursday parts of the historic al-Hassan bin al-Haytham Secondary School building in the devastated city of Quneitra in southern Syria, according to a reporter for Syria TV.
The school is considered one of the oldest educational institutions in southern Syria. It was built in the early 1950s and later sustained heavy damage during the 1967 war. Its remains have since stood as part of the historical landmarks of the city.
The recent demolition comes amid a series of measures taken by Israeli forces in recent months to remove remaining structures in the destroyed city of Quneitra.
These steps are linked to security procedures along the disengagement line established under the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Syrian and Israeli forces. Israeli forces had previously targeted most of the tall buildings in the area.
In January, Israeli forces demolished the old Golan Hospital, one of Quneitra’s most prominent historical landmarks. The building had long stood as a reminder of the destruction that struck the city during the period of Israeli control between 1967 and 1974, before it was reduced to rubble using bulldozers and explosives.
On January 20, Israeli forces also destroyed the historic Andalus Cinema, which was once among the most significant cultural centers in Quneitra before the city was captured in 1967.
At the time, the cinema hosted artistic events and cultural festivals reflecting the vibrant civil life that once characterized the city.
For years, the remains of the cinema had stood as a symbol of Quneitra residents’ collective memory and the cultural life that existed before displacement and mass migration followed the war.