Israel Closes Six UNRWA Schools in Jerusalem Following Terror Ties, Legislative Ban

By: Fern Sidman

Israeli authorities officially shuttered six schools affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Thursday morning, acting on legislation passed last year by the Knesset that prohibits the controversial agency from operating on Israeli soil. According to a report that appeared on the World Israel News web site, the closures follow mounting evidence of deep ties between UNRWA and Gaza-based terrorist groups, including individuals directly involved in the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in southern Israel.

(Editor’s note: Euronews reports on the issue in the video above, albeit through a 100% Palestinian lens. This is the news the world sees;  not a word about UNRWA hiring Hamas terrorists as teachers, or the radical anti-Jewish education and blood libel taught at the UNRWA indoctrination centers. )

The six schools, all located in predominantly Arab neighborhoods of eastern and northeastern Jerusalem, had been under a 30-day closure warning since early April. Police posted the warnings on April 8, alerting parents, students, and faculty that the facilities would be sealed off starting May 8. As the World Israel News report noted, this step marks a decisive implementation of a legislative ban on UNRWA activities in areas under full Israeli sovereignty.

Among the institutions closed are two schools in Shuafat, which collectively served 622 students; a girls’ school in Silwan with 116 students; a boys’ school in Wadi al-Joz educating 36; and a co-ed school in Sur Baher attended by 103 students. In total, roughly 900 students are affected by the closures.

The Israeli government, anticipating the move, has pledged to mitigate the impact on affected students. As reported by World Israel News, the Ministry of Education has committed to integrating displaced students into other schools within the Israeli educational system. Additionally, plans are already underway to construct a new school in Shuafat, ensuring that local children have continued access to educational resources.

The closures stem from two bills passed in the Knesset on October 28, 2024, which collectively ban all UNRWA activity within Israel’s borders and mandate the dismantling of its institutions within the capital. This legislative effort came in response to intelligence linking UNRWA employees and facilities to Hamas and other terrorist organizations operating in Gaza. Some UNRWA staff were reportedly directly involved in the October 7 atrocities, which left over 1,200 Israeli civilians dead and hundreds more kidnapped or injured.

World Israel News has consistently highlighted concerns regarding UNRWA’s broader ideological influence and operational transparency. The agency has faced international criticism for decades over its curriculum, which includes antisemitic tropes and incitement to violence in educational materials distributed in its schools across the region. Israeli officials have accused UNRWA of systematically promoting hatred against Jews and undermining any prospects for coexistence.

The legislative push to dismantle UNRWA’s footprint in Israel was fueled by growing frustration that the agency had become, in the words of several Knesset members, a “front for indoctrination and terror support rather than a humanitarian body.” Speaking to World Israel News, a senior government official involved in the enforcement of the ban stated, “This is not merely about shutting down schools—it’s about protecting Israeli sovereignty, security, and the values we instill in our children.”

The closure of the six schools is being portrayed by Israeli leaders as a broader effort to dismantle the ideological infrastructure that has fueled extremism in East Jerusalem. While UNRWA claims to provide education and welfare for Palestinian refugees, critics—including many Israeli analysts—argue that the agency perpetuates the refugee status of millions and fosters an atmosphere hostile to peace and normalization.

UNRWA has not yet issued a formal statement on the closures, but international human rights groups and some European donors are expected to voice opposition. However, the report at World Israel News noted that Israel remains resolute in enforcing its laws and safeguarding its territory from the influence of organizations found to be complicit in terrorism.

While critics argue that the sudden closure of educational facilities may disrupt students’ lives, Israeli officials emphasize that the closures are necessary to protect children from indoctrination and radicalization. The Education Ministry is reportedly working with local municipalities to ensure a smooth transition for the affected students and has pledged that no child will be left without access to schooling.

As tensions in the region continue to escalate, especially in the wake of ongoing hostilities in Gaza, Israeli policymakers see the removal of UNRWA from Jerusalem as a significant milestone. As reported by World Israel News, this decision reflects a growing consensus within the Israeli government that future educational and welfare services for Palestinians under Israeli jurisdiction must be provided through transparent, accountable, and depoliticized frameworks—free from terror affiliations.

The closures mark a critical juncture in Israel’s effort to reclaim authority over East Jerusalem institutions and eliminate foreign actors that fail to meet basic standards of neutrality and nonviolence. The fate of UNRWA operations in other areas remains uncertain, but as the report on World Israel News emphasized, Thursday’s actions send a clear message: organizations complicit in terrorism have no place on Israeli soil.