The closures in East Jerusalem, including in the Palestinian-Arab dominated neighborhood of Shuafat, have been in effect since the Israeli police issued a warning to the schools in April.
According to Jerusalem, around 900 students are enrolled in UNRWA schools in the city. The municipality has reportedly tried to find alternative school places for the affected children over the past month, but it is unclear if this has been done.
Children Fled Tear Gas
Last week, Israeli police fired tear gas into one of the schools. Pictures from the AP news agency show children and adults coughing and trying to flee the gas.
The Palestinian Authority, which leads a limited Palestinian self-government on the West Bank, condemns the closures and says in a statement that they constitute a violation of children's right to education, according to the AFP news agency.
Israel approved a new legislation regarding UNRWA about six months ago, which came into effect in January. According to the law, the UN agency is now prohibited from operating on Israeli territory.
The ban does not include UNRWA's activities in Gaza and the occupied West Bank – but it does include East Jerusalem, which is also occupied by Israel.
70 Years of Aid
UNRWA has provided aid to millions of Palestinian refugees in the Middle East for over 70 years, including education, healthcare, and economic assistance. Israel has repeatedly accused the UN agency of being a threat to Israel's security, and claimed that employees participated in the October 7 attack in 2023.
The UN has investigated the allegations and dismissed nine employees.
