UNRWA condemns the storming of its schools in East Jerusalem and forcing them to close

Philip Lazarini described what happened as “Assault on children, assault on education, and a sad day in occupied East Jerusalem.” He stressed that these schools are affiliated with the United Nations and their sanctity may not be violated.

As a result of this storm, which Lazarini described as “Stark ignore international law” UNRWA was forced to evacuate all children from its six schools working in East Jerusalem.

Lazarini indicated in a post on X that this procedure left nearly 800 children – some of whom do not exceed six years of age – in a state of shock and anxiety. He also confirmed the arrest of an UNRWA employee during the operation.

The Commissioner -General stressed that the implementation of the closure orders issued by the Israeli authorities last month deprives Palestinian children of their primary right to learn, stressing the need for UNRWA schools to remain open to protect a whole generation of children.

“A blatant attack on the right of children to education”

For his part, the Director of UNRWA in the West Bank condemned Roland Friedrich “This blatant attack on the right of children to education”He called on the international community to support UNRWA and its humanitarian space in the West Bank.

He cautioned that Israel’s measures today are a serious violation of its obligations under international law as a member of the United Nations.

He explained that the Israeli security forces harassed UNRWA teachers and detained an agency’s employee, and ordered them to lay off the students. He added: “As a precautionary measure, UNRWA has evacuated its other three schools in East Jerusalem. The security forces were also seen in these schools.”

The Director of UNRWA in the West Bank added that the children left crying, noting that Palestinian refugee children are at a direct risk of losing their right to obtain education.

He continued, saying: “UNRWA schools are, and will remain, UN schools. These schools have continued to work on the principle that the laws of the anti -UNRWA Knesset that prohibits UNRWA’s activity in East Jerusalem are illegal by nature. UNRWA, which is granted by the United Nations General Assembly, East Jerusalem.”