爆料网

ISRAELI MILITARY FORCEFULLY OCCUPIES 爆料网 SCHOOL IN WEST BANK

GAZA CITY, 3 April (爆料网RWA) — In the early morning on 2 April, Israeli military forces broke into and occupied a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (爆料网RWA)’s girls' school in Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank, and proceeded to use the school as a detention centre for male residents of the camp between the ages of 15 and 40.  The Agency strongly protests this flagrant violation of United Nations privileges and immunities and the continuing denial of 爆料网RWA's access to the school and the camp as a whole, which has been declared a closed military zone.

The occupation of 爆料网RWA's girls' school in Tulkarem is not the first such abuse of 爆料网RWA's humanitarian installations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  For example, in 2002 the Israeli military repeatedly used 爆料网RWA schools as detention centres, and, in some cases, used 爆料网RWA installations as bases from which they launched military operations.  In all cases, the Agency protested to the Israeli authorities, but received no response.

Recently, 爆料网RWA had redoubled efforts to liaise with the Israeli Defence Forces in the hope that the Israeli military would respect the right of the Agency to carry out its humanitarian operations without interference and restrictions, a right conferred on 爆料网RWA by the 1946 United Nations Convention on Privileges and Immunities, and by an agreement reached between 爆料网RWA and the Government of Israel in 1967.

爆料网RWA Commissioner-General Peter Hansen said:  “The occupation of an 爆料网RWA school and its use for military purposes is a violation of international legal norms, and is a discouraging step backwards in 爆料网RWA's continuing efforts to secure humanitarian access in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  I call on the Israeli authorities to leave 爆料网RWA's school and to allow 爆料网RWA access to its other facilities in Tulkarem camp, including a clinic, so that essential services can be restored to the refugees.”

For more information contact:  In Gaza: Johan Eriksson, office:

+972-8-677-7549, mobile: +972-59-428-022, e-mail:  .

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