UN Archives - CrossFireArarbia

In Wrecked Classrooms: 100,000 Pupils Return to School in Gaza

CrossFireArabia
February 28, 2025

For the first time in 16 months pupils in Gaza are returning to schools despite the destruction of most of the educational system in Gaza.

The UN, Thursday, reported that more than 100,000 students have enrolled in schools across the Gaza Strip since the new academic year began Feb. 23.

“As of yesterday, more than 100,000 students have enrolled in school following the start of the new academic year on 23 February,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference as reported in Anadolu.

The “back-to-school” item is trending on the social media with much images of pupils and teachers return to what is left of their schools since Israel waged a genocidal war on the enclave soon after 7 October, 2023.

He stated that “to date, 165 public schools have reopened in Gaza. For most students, this will be their first time returning to in-person learning in 16 months.”

Available figures show 85% of schools in Gaza have been wrecked and no longer able to operate because of the Israeli bombardment.

The Gaza Media Office have reported at least 12,800 students, and 800 teachers and administrative staff, were killed, and 1,166 educational establishments destroyed in this Israeli war with estimating damage to the education sector at more than $2 billion.

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UN Appeals to Israel on UNRWA

CrossFireArabia
February 24, 2025

Ben Saul, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Human Rights and Counterterrorism, appealed to Israel to repeal two laws preventing the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from “fulfilling its international mandate to provide humanitarian relief and essential services.”

Saul joined 25 independent UN experts in their initiative, “Peace Starts Here,” stating in a report that “certain provisions in these laws” – which came into effect at the end of last month – may violate international law.

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First in EU: Brussels Calls For Sanctions Against Israel

CrossFireArabia
February 17, 2025

The Brussels-Capital Region Parliament made history as the first in Belgium and Europe to pass a resolution calling for sanctions on the Israeli occupation, according to the BDS movement. The resolution urges the Brussels government to withhold weapon licenses to Israel, stop supporting companies linked to its military, and sever cooperation with firms listed in the UN database.

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Israel to Build 1000 Settlement Units Near Bethlehem

CrossFireArabia
February 17, 2025

The Israeli government issued a tender to build nearly 1,000 settlement units in the occupied West Bank, an anti-settlement group said on Monday.

The Peace Now group, an Israeli watchdog that monitors settlement building in the West Bank, said 974 additional settler homes will be built in Efrat settlement south of Bethlehem city.

It warned that the construction of an entire neighborhood in the Efrat settlement “blocks the development of the Bethlehem metropolis to the south, and if Israel seeks to annex it to Israel, it will cut off the entire southern West Bank,” according to Anadolu.

The Israeli organization accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of harming Israel’s interests and undermining the two-state solution through imposing realities on the ground.

“While the people of Israel sets their sights on the release of the hostages and an end to the war, the Netanyahu government is operating ‘on steroids’ to establish facts on the ground that will destroy the chance for peace and compromise,” it said.

Nineteen Israeli captives and five Thai workers have been released in exchange for 1,135 Palestinian prisoners under a Gaza ceasefire agreement that took effect on Jan. 19.

The international community, including the UN, considers the Israeli settlements illegal under international law. The UN has repeatedly warned that continued settlement expansion threatens the viability of a two-state solution, a framework seen as key to resolving the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

In July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian land illegal and demanded the evacuation of all existing settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

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Sharaa Says No to Syrian Normalization With Israel

CrossFireArabia
February 7, 2025

Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa ruled out any near-term normalization deal with Israel, citing its continued occupation of the Golan Heights.

In an interview with The Economist, Al-Sharaa stressed that Syria seeks peaceful relations with all countries. However, he noted that Israel’s presence in the region remains a major obstacle. “There is great sensitivity regarding the Israeli matter, especially after the big wars and their occupation of the Golan since 1967,” he said. Al-Sharaa made no mention of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

Ahmed Al-Sharaa also addressed US and Israeli military activities in Syria. He reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to the 1974 disengagement agreement with the occupation state, mediated by the UN. He called on Israeli forces to withdraw to pre-advancement positions to allow the UN peacekeeping force (UNDOF) to operate in the buffer zone.

Regarding US troops in Syria, Al-Sharaa asserted that any foreign military presence must be based on official agreements. “We are reassessing the Russian military presence, and we might reach an agreement or not. But any presence should have the host state’s approval,” he explained.

The Syrian president reiterated that international pressure is mounting against Israel’s recent military actions. “There is near-unanimous agreement that this advancement is not right,” he said.

While Al-Sharaa did not rule out future discussions, he emphasized that Syria is still prioritizing internal recovery. “We entered Damascus only two months ago, and there are many priorities ahead of us. It is too early to discuss such matters,” he concluded according to the Quds News Network.