Israeli forces remove memorial at West Bank university, plant sapling

Israeli military personnel removed a memorial structure from Birzeit University's campus near Ramallah, replacing the monument with a fig sapling, according to accounts from the institution and Palestinian sources. The memorial had honored students and alumni who died during armed conflict with Israel.

The removal marks the latest episode of tension surrounding Palestinian educational institutions and symbolic sites. Birzeit University, one of the West Bank's most prominent universities, has long served as a center for Palestinian intellectual and political life.

Palestinian officials characterized the action as deliberate destruction of historical commemoration. University representatives described the removal as part of broader efforts to suppress Palestinian narratives and collective memory of losses sustained over decades of conflict.

The incident underscores ongoing disputes over land, heritage, and symbolic expression in occupied Palestinian territories. Israeli military operations in the West Bank have frequently drawn international attention and accusations regarding treatment of Palestinian civilian infrastructure and cultural sites.

No immediate statement was available from Israeli military officials regarding the specific operation at the university campus.