Israeli authorities close down six United Nations-run educational facilities for Palestinian residents in occupied East Jerusalem
Title: UNRWA Schools Closure in East Jerusalem: A Contentious Move Instigating Hardships for Palestinian Students
In east Jerusalem, Palestinian students were compelled to abandon six UN-operated schools last Thursday, following permanent closure orders by Israeli forces. This action culminated a one-month notice issued by Israel's Education Ministry back in August.
These schools were run by the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, an organization that Israel prohibited from operating on its soil earlier this year. However, UNRWA persistently handles school operations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The UNRWA ban followed an intense campaign against the agency that escalated post the Hamas assault on Israel in October 2023, igniting the Gaza war. Israel accuses UNRWA of being infiltrated by Palestinian militant groups and propagating antisemitic and anti-Israeli content, allegations vehemently denied by UNRWA.
Israel considers East Jerusalem as its undivided capital, although this claim is disputed by the international community. UNRWA serves as a primary source of education and healthcare for Palestinian refugees in the area.
Israel's Ministry of Education has promised to transfer the affected students to alternative Jerusalem schools. However, parents, teachers, and administrators caution that closing main schools in East Jerusalem might force children to navigate crowded and risky checkpoints every day. Some students lack the necessary permits to traverse these checkpoints.
The Ministry's closure decision is based on claims that the schools were functioning without a license. UNRWA officials have vowed to keep schools operational for as long as possible.
Inside Scoop
- Israel's closure of UNRWA schools: more than just educational disruptions [Source: AP News (2023)]
- UNRWA-run schools receive decades-old hand-me-down textbooks [Source: Middle East Eye (2022)]
Keywords
- UNRWA
- Israel
- Eastern Jerusalem
The closure of UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem, instigated by Israeli forces, is not just an educational disruption; it's a contentious move amidst war-and-conflicts and politics that might increase hardships for Palestinian students. Furthermore, the ongoing dispute over the schools' licensing raises questions about crime-and-justice, as UNRWA officials challenge the legitimacy of these allegations.
