Israeli forces shut down six UN schools for Palestinians in east Jerusalem

Palestinian students astatine six UN-run schools successful eastbound Jerusalem were forced to time off early connected Thursday aft Israeli forces permanently unopen them down.

Israel's Education Ministry ordered nan schools' closure past month, giving them 30 days to unopen down, which ended connected Wednesday.

The schools are operated by nan UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which Israel banned from operating connected its ungraded earlier this year. The organisation continues to tally schools successful nan Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The UNRWA prohibition was nan culmination of a agelong run against nan agency, which intensified aft nan 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks connected Israel that ignited nan warfare successful Gaza.

Israel claims UNRWA is infiltrated by nan Palestinian militant group, and that nan organisation teaches antisemitic contented and anti-Israel sentiment. UNRWA denies nan allegations.

UNRWA is nan main supplier of acquisition and wellness attraction to Palestinian refugees crossed eastbound Jerusalem, which Israel captured successful nan 1967 Six-Day War. Israel has annexed eastbound Jerusalem and considers nan full metropolis its unified capital, but nan declare is not recognised by astir of nan world community.

The Israeli Ministry of Education says it will spot nan students into different Jerusalem schools, but parents, teachers and administrators pass that closing nan main schools successful eastbound Jerusalem will unit their children to transverse crowded and vulnerable checkpoints each day. Some do not person nan correct permits to walk through.

Some 800 Palestinian students are astatine consequence of missing retired connected their acquisition altogether if they cannot beryllium placed successful different schools.

The Ministry of Education said it was closing nan schools because they were operating without a license. UNRWA administrators pledged to support nan schools unfastened for arsenic agelong arsenic possible.