Hundreds of East Jerusalem Children Have Been Left Without Schools

Illustrative (archive). Children taking the bus to school in Ras Khamis, 2014. Photo: ACRI

In April 2025, Israel closed the UNRWA schools that operated in East Jerusalem. These schools served approximately 800 students, most of whom are from neighborhoods beyond the separation barrier. In response to the inquiry we submitted at the time, regarding what arrangements would be made for the hundreds of students whose schools would be closed, the Ministry of Education claimed that it was acting in cooperation with the Jerusalem municipality to "arrange appropriate and suitable learning alternatives" for the students, and that a solution was found for all of them. Four months later, just before the start of the 2025-2026 school year, appeals from parents made it clear that about 600 students had been left without any educational arrangements. About two-thirds are students from UNRWA schools that operated in the Shuafat refugee camp neighborhoods. Parents who contacted ACRI told us that about their repeated attempts to contact the municipality to place their children. Some received no response, while others were told that there is no more room in East Jerusalem schools. 

On August 26, 2025, we contacted the Ministry of Education and the municipality with an urgent appeal on behalf of the parents and students. In the appeal, Attorney Tal Hassin noted that leaving hundreds of students without an educational framework just days before the start of the academic year is a major violation of their rights to education, development, equality, equality in education, and dignity. We demanded that centralized registration days be organized for parents in Arabic without delay; that an emergency center be opened to assist them with registration; and that an appropriate solution be found for every student in an educational institution close to their home. If the students are not placed in official state schools, we also demanded that the State bear the tuition costs, per the Supreme Court’s past ruling on a petition by ACRI. 

ACRI's appeal, April 9, 2025 (Heb) 

ACRI's appeal, August 26, 2025 (Heb) 

The appeals were written with the assistance of ACRI’s Field Coordinator, Muhannad Anati 

For a list of articles in Hebrew about this case, see here.  

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