RAMALLAH, February 19, 2026 (WAFA) – European diplomatic missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah said on Thursday that the Israeli authorities’ decision to close the Burj Al-Luqluq Community Association in Jerusalem’s Old City for six months is concerning and further restricts Palestinian civic and cultural space in East Jerusalem.
The joint statement was issued by missions representing the European Union as well as Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
“For decades, the center has provided vital educational, cultural and sports programs, particularly for children and youth. This decision risks undermining the indispensable work of independent Palestinian civil society organizations in East Jerusalem,” the statement read.
The missions called on Israeli authorities to safeguard civic space, ensure continued access to essential social and cultural services in East Jerusalem, and allow the Burj Al-Luqluq Community Association to resume its activities without delay.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces closed the association’s headquarters in the Old City of Jerusalem for six months.
According to the Jerusalem Governorate, Israeli forces raided the premises, handed the administration a six-month closure order, then sealed the building’s doors by welding them shut and prevented access.
The governorate described the move as a serious escalation in a policy of targeting Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem and a direct blow to residents’ rights to dignified living, community development and safe spaces for children and youth.
In a separate statement, the association said Israeli police closed its offices and facilities under an arbitrary order issued by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, citing a law that prohibits activities linked to the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem.
The association rejected the decision, saying it has no legal basis and stressing that it is a registered social organization in Jerusalem operating lawfully through educational, cultural and sports programs that serve thousands of children, women and youth in the city. It added that it would challenge the order through all available legal means to reopen its facilities and resume services.
Established in 1991 on land adjacent to the historic walls of the Old City and spanning about 9.5 dunams, the association is considered the second largest open space within the Old City walls after Al-Aqsa Mosque. Over more than three decades, it has provided sports, cultural and social programs, including football, basketball, judo and taekwondo, as well as women’s empowerment initiatives, a kindergarten, a computer lab, life skills programs and a ceramics workshop, serving between 300 and 500 beneficiaries daily.
M.N
