Israeli soldiers replace Palestinian flag with Israel one at West Bank school

Israeli soldiers replaced a Palestinian flag with an Israeli one at a school in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to local reports.

The incident took place at a secondary school for girls in the Palestinian village of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya in Nablus Governorate, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.

Headteacher Ayesha Nubani said Israeli troops entered the school in the morning, where they removed a Palestinian flag and raised an Israeli one.

Palestinian flags have been removed by Israeli forces in the past, though never before has an Israeli flag replaced them, she said.

Al-Luban Al-Sharqiya is located in Area C, the part of the occupied West Bank that is under full Israeli control.

The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the incident, saying that Israel is attacking Palestinian schools and colleges, particularly those situated on bypass roads reserved for settlers.

It comes after the Israeli army knocked down a school in Masafer Yatta, also in Area C, last month.

Leading Israeli rights group B'Tselem said schoolchildren were inside the classrooms as Israeli forces arrived ahead of the demolition.

The Palestinian flag is often targeted by Israeli forces and settlers.

During the funeral of celebrated Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's in Jerusalem in May, Israeli police stole Palestinian flags from mourners, according to Al Jazeera.

They also broke a hearse window, confiscating a flag, the pan-Arab broadcaster reported.

Abu Akleh, who worked for Al Jazeera, was shot dead by Israeli forces as she covered a military raid at the Jenin refugee camp.

Agencies contributed to this report.