UNRWA Condemns Israeli Army Raids On Schools Affiliated With Him In Jerusalem

JAKARTA - The United Nations agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) on Tuesday voiced its rejection of the Israeli army raids on six schools affiliated with the agency in the occupied Jerusalem City area, namely Shuafat, Silwan, Sur Baher, and Wadi al-Joz.

UNRWA Information Office Director Abeer Ismail criticized the raid in addition to issuing a closure order, which gave the agency 30 days to close schools because the procedure was completely rejected and violated international law.

"This procedure is a violation of the rights of Palestinian refugee children to receive education, and threatens to rob hundreds of children of basic rights to education in their country," Ismail said in a statement.

"If we are forced to close schools, the consequences will be dire, because children will lose their basic right to education, which will exacerbate their suffering and have a negative impact on their future," he explained.

Furthermore, he said, the procedure is also a violation of the immunity of United Nations facilities, by noting that the United Nations is following up strictly and examining its legal and practical dimensions.

He emphasized that UNRWA will remain committed to providing educational services for Palestinian refugees in occupied cities, including in the current school year.

Israeli troops are known to have forcibly entered six schools affiliated with UNRWA and announced plans to close the facility on Tuesday.

On October 28, 2024, Israel's Knesset, with the support of more than 90 percent, approved two bills prohibiting UNRWA from operating in occupied areas - Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. These measures took effect at the end of January.

East Jerusalem is part of an internationally recognized Palestinian territory that has been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.