Education Above All Condemns Latest Attacks on Educational Facilities in Gaza
Doha, Qatar – 31 July 2014 – In light of new reports, confirmed by UNRWA’s initial assessment, indicating a deadly attack by Israeli IDF forces on a UN school in the Jabaliya refugee camp, Education Above All (EAA), the Qatar-based foundation created and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser dedicated to supporting the fundamental right to education, strongly condemns the killing and injury of innocent children and other civilians caught in repeated destruction of educational institutions as part of the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip.
International media reports indicate that for the second time a United Nations facility has been hit by ordnance, resulting in loss of innocent civilian lives – mostly women and children seeking refuge from the fighting. While the death toll of this latest school attack is still being tallied, the impact is clear: if schools are not a safe haven then no place can be. The attacks point to violations of international law and are unacceptable to sentiments of humanity and morality.
Under humanitarian law, deliberate attacks on civilians or civilian objects (which include students, teachers and schools) that are not being used for military purposes are prohibited and are war crimes. Indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks are also prohibited.
In a statement, UNRWA commissioner-general Pierre Krähenbühl made an impassioned plea for an end to these attacks: “This is the sixth time that one of our schools has been struck. Our staff, the very people leading the humanitarian response are being killed. Our shelters are overflowing. Tens of thousands may soon be stranded in the streets of Gaza, without food, water and shelter if attacks on these areas continue. We have moved beyond the realm of humanitarian action alone. We are in the realm of accountability. I call on the international community to take deliberate international political action to put an immediate end to the continuing carnage."
Further, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution on 24th July invoking the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, condemning the Israeli actions as contrary to international law.
"These attacks on schools, whether intentional or not, cannot be tolerated. Schools should be a safe zone, and the sanctity and security of places of learning must be respected and preserved. Standing with members of the international community, EAA calls on both parties to immediately discontinue making schools and educational facilities targets in this crisis. There is simply no reason that condones or justifies such actions,” said Marcio Barbosa, CEO of Education Above All.
With a death toll now reaching higher than 1,000 in the incursion, EAA stands with calls for a prompt, impartial and independent investigation into the credible allegations of violations of international law and to this end welcomes the decision by the Human Rights Council to establish a commission of inquiry on the matter. It is imperative that the international community facilitates and ensures accountability for all violations of international law and does not, nor is seen to, tolerate continued impunity for its breach.
Education Above All’s programme Al Fakhoora has been working in Gaza for the past 5 years through projects that support protection and access to quality education. Taking its name from an UNRWA school that was the scene of an Israeli military attack during the 2009 offensive on Gaza, has collaborated with international and local partners to offer scholarships, support, psychosocial and disability programs in addition to rebuilding many of Gaza’s damaged or destroyed higher education buildings.
Education Above All’s programme Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC) serves on the steering committee of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA). PEIC was created in 2010 to respond to the devastating impact of insecurity and armed conflict on education in countries across the world. PEIC co-funded GCPEA’s recent report, Education under Attack 2014, which documents significant patterns of attacks on education in over 30 countries.
Photo Credit: Epa/Mohamed Saber (source http://learningforpeace.unicef.org)
