In a move widely condemned as an assault on Palestinian rights, Israeli occupation authorities have officially notified UNRWA of the imminent closure of all six of its schools in Jerusalem, effective 8 May. This decision threatens the education of 950 students, stripping them of one of the last remaining lifelines for quality learning under occupation.

Ramadan Taha, head of the Parents’ Committee in Jerusalem, denounced the measure as a “tool for obfuscating ignorance against the Palestinian people,” warning it was part of a calculated campaign to erode access to education and dismantle UNRWA’s critical presence in the city. Families and educators now face a terrifying void, uncertain whether their children will have any viable path forward in their academic lives.

This assault is not isolated. UNRWA has endured mounting attacks by Israeli forces, with its East Jerusalem headquarters deliberately set on fire last week. Earlier this year, Israeli lawmakers passed legislation banning the agency from operating in the occupied territories, stripping it of legal standing and cutting off official contact. These developments follow years of incitement, delegitimisation, and policy sabotage aimed at silencing the agency’s role in advocating for Palestinian rights.

For the thousands of Palestinian refugee children who rely on UNRWA schools, especially those in Jerusalem, these closures would mean more than the loss of education—they represent yet another brutal chapter in their ongoing displacement. UNRWA, established after the Nakba of 1948, has long provided essential services to refugees across the region. Its schools offer not just lessons, but dignity, identity, and hope amid layers of trauma.

UN officials have rejected Israel’s accusations of bias and alleged links to armed groups, calling them politically motivated and aimed at dismantling the few remaining safeguards for Palestinian welfare. Human rights advocates warn that if left unchallenged, this crackdown on UNRWA could pave the way for further erasure of basic rights under occupation.

With just weeks left before the closures take effect, the fate of hundreds of students hangs in limbo. “Education is a basic human right,” said Ramadan Taha, “and denying it is an act of aggression against our future generations.” The international community must act swiftly to prevent this injustice from becoming irreversible.