The Government must keep up pressure to reopen UNRWA schools, says International Development Committee Chair
29 May 2025
The UK Government’s efforts to defend UNRWA are welcome, but more action is needed to combat the continued harassment and undermining of UNRWA by the Government of Israel, the International Development Committee Chair has said.
The Chair of the Committee, Sarah Champion, has commented today following the publication of correspondence from Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and the Caribbean , regarding UNRWA’s operations in Israel and in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Chair comment
Sarah Champion MP, Chair of the International Development Committee (IDC), said:
“I commend the Government’s attempts to defend UNRWA, but Israel’s forced closure of UNRWA schools, and the storming of UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem, are sadly only the latest in a long line of actions intended to undermine the work of UNRWA. What further action will the UK Government consider to help ensure the continued operation of UNRWA and the reopening of UNRWA-run schools?
“The Government has outlined its work with international counterparts to try and stop military operations in Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter. What discussions is the UK Government having with the United States to try and bring pressure to bear and reopen UNRWA-run schools and restore access for Palestinian refugees to UNRWA services in the West Bank?”
Sarah Champion, Chair of IDC, wrote to Foreign Secretary David Lammy (Friday 9 May), in response to reports that armed guards forced UNRWA into closing three schools operating across East Jerusalem and three within the Shu’fat refugee camp.
Further information
Image: House of Commons/Laurie Noble