As Gaza burns and the death toll climbs past 50,000, Israel turns its sights on East Jerusalem’s classrooms—shuttering UN-run schools in a calculated strike on Palestinian memory, identity, and resistance.

By Prince Kapone, Weaponized Information

In a move that would make the most hardened colonial administrators blush, Israeli authorities have once again demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the ‘civilizing’ mission—this time by storming six schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem. The crime? Providing education to Palestinian refugee children. (Al Jazeera)

Israeli officials, accompanied by security forces, forcibly entered these institutions, issuing closure orders effective within 30 days. This act of benevolence will directly impact approximately 800 boys and girls, likely depriving them of the opportunity to complete their academic year. (Al Jazeera)

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, expressed his astonishment at this charitable gesture, noting that these unauthorized entries and closure orders violate the protections afforded to UN installations and represent a breach of Israel’s obligations under international law. But who has time for international law when there’s an occupation to maintain?

This latest episode is not an isolated incident but part of a grander narrative. In January, Israel enacted legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating within its self-declared borders, including East Jerusalem, and forbidding Israeli authorities from engaging with the agency. (Reuters) The rationale? Allegations that UNRWA perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem and harbors sympathies for Hamas—claims that UNRWA has consistently denied.

The timing of these school closures is impeccable. With the ongoing conflict in Gaza resulting in over 50,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry (Associated Press), what better moment to disrupt the education of Palestinian youth in East Jerusalem? After all, an uneducated populace is far easier to control.

The implications of these closures are profound. Beyond the immediate disruption to education, there looms the risk of cultural erasure. Transferring students to schools that teach an Israeli curriculum threatens to obliterate Palestinian identity, history, and aspirations from the minds of the young. As Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh aptly observed, this move could “erase Palestinian identity.”

But let us not be too harsh. Perhaps this is merely an extension of the age-old colonial tactic of ‘benevolent assimilation.’ By shutting down Palestinian-run institutions and imposing their own curriculum, Israeli authorities might believe they are offering Palestinian children a brighter future—one where they forget their past and embrace the occupier’s narrative.

In the grand chessboard of occupation, controlling education is a masterstroke. It ensures that the next generation grows up devoid of the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to challenge their subjugation. The closure of these schools is not just an administrative action; it is an assault on the very soul of a people.

As we bear witness to these events, it becomes increasingly clear that the ‘civilizing’ mission is alive and well, adapted for the 21st century. The tools may have changed, but the objective remains the same: control, assimilate, and, if necessary, erase.

References:

• Al Jazeera. “Israel shuts down UNRWA-affiliated schools in occupied East Jerusalem.” April 8, 2025.
• Reuters. “UN agency for Palestinians readies to shutter operations in East Jerusalem after Israeli ban.” January 27, 2025.
• Associated Press. “Middle East latest: Israeli strikes kill 25 people in Gaza as Supreme Court hears Shin Bet cases.” April 8, 2025.