World News in Brief: East Jerusalem schools told to close, Guterres saddened by Santo Domingo deaths, DR Congo and Haiti updates

ONU - 09/04
Six schools run by the UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem have been issued “illegal closure orders” after being forcibly entered by Israeli security forces, according to the agency’s head Philippe Lazzarini.

The schools were told they must close within 30 days.

Mr. Lazzarini said that some 800 boys and girls are directly impacted by these closure orders and are likely to miss finishing their school year.

He noted that UNRWA schools are protected by the “privileges and immunities” of the United Nations. These illegal closure orders come in the wake of Knesset [parliament of Israel] legislation seeking to curtail UNRWA operations.

Aid access blocked

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York that since Tuesday, the Israeli authorities have denied eight of 14 attempts by aid workers to coordinate access to people needing urgent assistance.

Since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire fell apart and hostilities recommenced on 18 March, the authorities have denied 68 per cent of the 170 attempts by UN aid workers to coordinate access.

“They also cont...
[Short citation of 8% of the original article]