BYU Jerusalem Center students extend stay in Greece amid tensions in Middle East

JERUSALEM (ABC4) — Less than two months after student programs resumed at the BYU Jerusalem campus, students and faculty are once again on alert.

On Thursday, June 12, school officials posted an alert advising the public of the ongoing attacks and retaliation between Israel and Iran. The alert noted that the US embassy restricted employees to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and its northern suburbs, but said that no one has yet been evacuated.

Fortunately, as the exchange of missile fire started, everyone living in at the Jerusalem Center – with the exception of two service couples and the youngest children of a faculty member – is in Greece for a scheduled field trip.

On Wednesday, June 18, school officials said that the field trip, which was scheduled to end on June 19, will be extended until July 6. While in Greece, students will continue studying classical Greek history and culture, Early Christianity, and the New Testament.

In an update shortly after the attacks, the Jerusalem Center said, “We assure you that all students and faculty are currently safe, well, and following the scheduled itinerary for their studies and travels in Greece.”

“The safety and well-being of our students and faculty remain our highest priority,” the security update continued. “We are in close contact with local authorities in Jerusalem and the U.S. State Department resources, and we are consulting with the University and Church administrative personnel to take all considerations into account.”

It is unclear how many students are currently enrolled at the BYU Jerusalem Center and are on the extended stay in Greece.

In October 2023, 93 students, as well as BYU faculty, their families and service couples, were forced to flee Israel following unrest and attacks exchanged between Israel and Hamas. The students and faculty fled to Athens, Greece, where they were then returned home amid the fighting.

As tensions between Israel and Hamas died down, BYU officials welcomed back students and resumed programs at the Jerusalem Center on April 29. However, tensions in the Middle East have risen once again as Israel launched a surprise bombardment against Iran’s nuclear program and military sites, sparking retaliatory strikes from Iran.

As of June 18, the Associated Press reported that at least 585 Iranians, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded. Meanwhile, Israel’s Health Ministry reports that at least 240 people were wounded by Iranian missiles, four of them seriously.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.