46,000 Children Of Palestinian Refugees Starting Years Of Teaching Amid Israeli Restrictions

JAKARTA - About 46,000 Palestinian refugee children began their new school year in schools managed by the United Nations Aid and Work Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) across the West Bank on Monday, including 5,000 students who have just entered first class.

UNRWA noted that thousands of children lost their education rights due to Israeli occupation policies, quoted from WAFA September 1.

In East Jerusalem, UNRWA was unable to open its school early in the school year for the first time in its history, after occupation authorities forcibly closed six schools last May.

This has an impact on about 800 children, and only a small part can register at alternative schools.

Ten schools in the northern West Bank, in refugee camps Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams, are still closed due to Operation Wall Iron, which prevents more than 4,000 children from returning to school. On the other hand, these children continue to study remotely and study independently in temporary places.

UNRWA stressed that the last two years have seen unprecedented levels of educational disruptions in the West Bank, with schools being targeted by raids and vandalism repeatedly, in addition to the suffering of children due to continued evacuation and violence.

Of the more than 30,000 refugees in the northern West Bank, more than a third are children the agency said.

UNRWA emphasized that protecting the right to education has become a top priority in this situation, reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the future of Palestinian refugee boys and women, as it has been done for more than 75 years of education and service work.

The agency hopes that all children, including those in East Jerusalem, will be able to continue their education in a safe environment that maintains their dignity and gives them hope for a better future.