Israeli forces storm ceremony celebrating Palestinian students' exam results

Israeli police on Tuesday stormed a ceremony in occupied East Jerusalem held to recognise the achievement of Palestinian students who passed their end of high school exams.

Israeli police and intelligence officers stormed the hall at the Yasser Arafat Sports Stadium in the Al-Issawiya neighbourhood shutting down the event.

They claimed the celebration was not allowed because it was sponsored by the Palestinian Authority, according to local sources.

The students and audience were kicked out of the event and the organisers of the ceremony threatened, according to reports.

The police detained the head of the club Aziz Obaid and locked the gates to the stadium.

Israeli forces also on Tuesday destroyed a Palestinian nursery and home in Beit Safafa, Jerusalem.

Israeli soldiers reportedly accompanied a bulldozer belonging to the Jerusalem Municipality as it razed the nursery.

Earlier this week, the UN demanded the safety of Palestinian children in Gaza and the occupied West Bank as a new school year starts.

Over the last year, Palestinian children had their education stifled due to Israeli violence against children and the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Children not only have a right to a safe education but are afforded special protections under international human rights law in view of their specific vulnerability. Since the beginning of 2021, a total of 79 Palestinian children have been reported killed and 1,269 injured," said Lynn Hastings, UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.