LONDON, February 19, 2025 (WAFA) – A UK minister Wednesday voiced concern over the current state of Palestinian children in the occupied city of Jerusalem.

“Essential education for Palestinian children in East Jerusalem is provided by UNRWA,” Anneliese Dodds, Minister for Development at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said on X.

She added that “The Israeli order to close its schools and the immediate evacuation of the Kalandia Training Centre is deeply worrying” while stressing that “Children’s access to education must continue uninterrupted.”

Minister Dodds made these remarks a day after Israeli occupation forces forcibly entered UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem, including schools and a training center, violating the right to education for hundreds of students and trainees.

Israeli occupation forces and municipal authorities “forcefully entered” a UNRWA training center and three schools in East Jerusalem on Tuesday, firing tear gas and sound bombs, and ordered its immediate evacuation, the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said.

At least 350 students and 30 staff were present at the Kalandia Training Centre when it was stormed, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement on X.

Israeli police officers, accompanied by staff from the Jerusalem Municipality also went to UNRWA schools “ordering their closure”, he added.

Tuesday’s incidents “have impacted 250 children in three UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem, +350 trainees in the Kalandia Training Centre, a large United Nations compound,” the UNRWA chief noted.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed Israel’s action saying he “strongly condemns the breach of UN premises in East Jerusalem,” including the training center “and the attempt to forcibly enter three UNRWA schools and to seek their closure.”

He stressed that the use of tear gas and sound bombs in educational environments while students are learning “is both unnecessary and unacceptable.”

K.F.