Israel has shut down six schools run by the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees after moving to banish the organisation from the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem early this year.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said in a statement that Israeli police forcibly entered schools in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Shuafat, Silwan, Sur Baher and Wadi al-Joz on Tuesday.
Officials from the Israeli Ministry of Education were also on hand. They issued orders to close the schools within 30 days.
“If we are forced to close, the consequences will be dire as the children will be deprived of their basic right to education, which will exacerbate their suffering and negatively affect their future,” said Abir Ismail, director of UNRWA’s information office.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement that Israel’s orders were a “violation” of international law and the rules granting the UN operations protection from local jurisdictions.
“Some 800 boys and girls are directly impacted by these closure orders and are likely to miss finishing their school year,” Lazzarini wrote.
media correspondent Nour Odeh said the closure of the UNRWA schools is “extremely problematic” because the children would likely end up at Israeli institutions run by the Jerusalem Municipality.
She explained that the children admitted to Israeli schools would no longer be taught under the Palestinian curriculum.
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