The Dar Jacir Center s urban farm was burnt to the ground this week Photo: Aline Khoury
As Israeli forces clash with protestors in the occupied West Bank, cultural facilities are also under attack. According to a statement posted on their website and sent in a newsletter on Monday 17 May, the directors of the Dar Yusuf Nasri Jacir for Art And Research, a grassroots artist-run centre in Bethlehem, say that their building was “ransacked by Israeli forces” and that a fire destroyed some of their property.
“There has been extensive damage throughout the building,” the centre says in its statement, but that no one was hurt, and “the offices were ransacked, and equipment was taken including phones, computer, hard drive, cameras, books and more”. The organisation shared photos on its Instagram page of broken door frames, smoke bombs and bullets casings found on the scene.