The “Tires School” in Khan al-Ahmar, a symbol of resilience, hope and redemption of a marginalized community

Abstract

Near the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, located within area C of the West Bank, stands the so-called "Tire School", a structure without foundations and built with waste materials and raw earth, to overcome the limitations imposed by the Israeli government which prohibits any construction activity within this area. The school is an interesting example of bioclimatic architecture capable of guaranteeing an adequate level of indoor comfort in an area characterized by extreme climatic conditions. The school offered the children of the local Bedouin communities the opportunity to access primary education, which was also severely compromised by the isolation of the villages. Despite its temporary characteristics, the school was the subject of a sequence of clearance and demolition orders, never carried out thanks to the support of international diplomacy, and over the years it has become a symbol of resilience in defense of the right to education and of the rights of the Bedouin communities residing in the area. But the violent military operation launched by Israel against the Palestinian civilian population, following the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023, risks putting a definitive end to the troubled history of the school and the communities. The contribution analyzes the environmental, social and legal aspects linked to the construction of the school, its feared destruction and the implications connected to it.