The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Calls for Decisive International Action to Protect UNRWA
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns the storming of UNRWA schools in occupied Jerusalem and Qalandiya by occupation forces and police, as well as the assault on Palestinian students and teaching staff, leading to the schools’ closure. These actions deprive hundreds of students of their fundamental right to education, disrupt the learning process, and constitute a blatant violation of the immunity and privileges granted to the United Nations and its affiliated institutions. Moreover, they represent a grave breach of international law and binding international resolutions, which unequivocally affirm that Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967 and the capital of the State of Palestine.
The Ministry also condemns the ongoing attacks on Palestinian refugee camps, particularly in the northern West Bank, and the deliberate targeting of UNRWA schools and institutions within these camps. These actions are part of a broader Israeli strategy aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, erasing the right of return for Palestinian refugees, and forcibly eliminating the refugee status in accordance with the occupation’s expansionist colonial agenda. The Ministry stresses that the international leniency towards Israel’s crimes against the Palestinian people has emboldened the occupation to extend its violations to UN-affiliated institutions, which were established by international mandate.
The Ministry continues to actively monitor Israel’s systematic targeting of UNRWA in coordination with all relevant international bodies, particularly the UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council, and UNRWA Commissioner-General Mr. Philippe Lazzarini. This issue was a key focus of in-depth discussions during the recent meeting in Cairo between the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Varsen Shahin and Mr. Lazzarini. The Ministry remains committed to translating the international consensus rejecting the occupation’s decision into practical steps to compel its reversal.