Israel Orders Closure of Six UN Schools in East Jerusalem Following Raids

Israeli forces have raided six United Nations schools in East Jerusalem, issuing closure orders for the institutions. The schools, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), are to shut down within 30 days, impacting approximately 800 Palestinian students who may not be able to complete their academic year.

The schools affected are part of UNRWA’s operations in areas occupied by Israel, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, voiced strong condemnation of the closures, asserting that the actions violate the protections granted to UNRWA schools under international law. Lazzarini emphasized that UNRWA schools are protected by the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, making the Israeli raids and subsequent closure orders illegal.

In response, Israel’s Ministry of Education directed parents to register their children at alternative schools. The Ministry also confirmed that professional staff would continue supporting the educational framework for the affected students.

The closure orders come in the wake of a controversial law passed by Israel’s parliament in October 2024, which bans UNRWA’s operations within Israel. The law also revokes the 1967 treaty that allowed the agency to carry out its mission in the occupied territories. Yulia Malinovsky, a member of the Israeli parliament who sponsored the bill, confirmed that the affected schools would have until May 8, 2025, to cease operations. Malinovsky further stated that Israel is working to cut off water and electricity supplies to all of UNRWA’s facilities in the occupied territories.

Israel has long sought to dismantle UNRWA, arguing that some of its employees have ties to Hamas, and that the agency’s educational materials promote anti-Israel sentiments. Although a UN-commissioned inquiry found limited examples of anti-Israel bias in textbooks, it acknowledged these as a violation of neutrality. Israel’s military has also accused some of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza of involvement in the October 7 massacre, which UNRWA has denied.

Founded in 1950 to assist Palestinian refugees displaced during the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, UNRWA serves about 5.9 million Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. In Gaza, where Israel has conducted a year-long war, UNRWA supports approximately 1.7 million refugees, while in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it assists around 871,500 individuals.