UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Wednesday warned that the education of 800 students in East Jerusalem is at risk as Israel's closure orders of their schools will take effect within a week.

Israeli officials from the Jerusalem Municipality and Israeli security forces forcibly entered six UNRWA-operated schools in East Jerusalem on April 8, and gave "illegal" closure orders effective in 30 days, according to UNRWA.

The schools, three in the Shu'fat refugee camp and three inside East Jerusalem, are required to shut down when the orders take effect on May 8.

The UN agency said the closure orders will directly impact some 800 boys and girls, who would likely be unable to finish their school year.

Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA Affairs for the West Bank, called it "a grave threat to the right of those children to education", underlining that UNRWA has been providing children in the Shu'fat refugee camp access to high quality education.

The development follows two Israeli laws that went into effect in late January which ban UNRWA from operating in its territory and prohibit Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.

This week the International Court of Justice -- the UN's highest court -- began hearings to examine Israel's restrictions on the work of the UN and other international organizations in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

UNRWA warns against closure of 6 schools in East Jerusalem

Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."

Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.

"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.

"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.

Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.

EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland