Unique among United Nations agencies, UNRWA, the Palestine Refugee Agency, is mandated by the United Nations’ Member States to provide public-like services directly, including education for more than half a million children. Over the past 75 years of its existence, it has assumed many functions normally performed by a national state.
It now faces collapse in the wake of the Israeli parliament’s legislation that could end UNRWA’s operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in less than three months.
The importance of education
Education is a particularly important value for Palestinians, and thanks to UNRWA they are among the best educated people of the Middle East.
“Nothing is more important for Palestinians than education,” says energy and environmental engineer, Fida Abu Libdeh, CEO of GeoSilica Iceland. She was 16 when she moved to Iceland with her family from East Jerusalem.
“Instead of weapons and an army we have education, so we can let our voice be heard with the pen as a weapon. It doesn’t occur to any Palestinians not to aim for higher education. It is a part of life, part of the struggle for Palestine. And a moveable commodity,” she told UNRIC.
Fida Abu Libdeh runs a start-up company in Iceland. Photo: FKA/Silla Páls/with kind permission
However, education is not uncontroversial. “Since when is education not political?” asked history professor Magnús Thór Bernharðsson and Middle East expert at Williams College, Williamstown, USA.
“The neutrality requirement can be quite complex and highly politically charged since education includes history, territory, national flags and language,” Bernharðsson said in an interview with UNRIC.
Under fire from Israel and Hamas
An important addition to the teaching of the host country curriculum, is UNRWA´s human rights education. The aim is to promote non-violence, healthy communication skills, peaceful conflict-resolution, human rights, tolerance, and good citizenship.
While Israel has accused UNRWA’s education system of not being neutral and for alleged links to Hamas, it is perhaps less well known that Hamas has accused it of colluding with Israel.
“For many years, Hamas has strongly opposed UNRWA’s education programme, challenging our commitment to gender equality and neutrality,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told the UN General Assembly´s Fourth Committee this month.
“Hamas has even disapproved of the Agency’s Summer Fun Weeks programme, which brings girls and boys together for art, games, music and sports.”
“This is our state, while we don´t have our own”, says Fida Abu Libdeh. “It takes care of our interests in daily life; education, health and food aid are secured.”
For many, it has been “the most visible part of the Palestinian refugee problem,“ according to Professor Bernharðsson.
“The Agency provides human development services for Palestinian refugees in the absence of a Palestinian State,” explains Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General.
Israel would have to assume responsibility and costs
If UNRWA would be unable to fulfill its mandate, it is unclear how and who would help Palestinian refugees. “There is no alternative to UNRWA,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement on 28 October in reaction to the Israeli parliament’s decision.
Professor Bernharðsson points out that ultimately the responsibility to replace UNRWA would fall on the shoulders of Israel. “As an occupying power it is Israel’s obligation.”
Not only would “the responsibility for providing services to Palestinians”, but also “the cost of these services – lie not with the United Nations, but with Israel,” says Lazzarini.
UNRWA was established immediately after the first Israeli-Arab war in 1948-1949 and Israel’s Declaration of Independence.
Children take part in artistic and sports activities organised by UNRWA teams in a damaged UNRWA school in Nuseirat, Middle Areas. © 2024 UNRWA Photo
Since it was established by the United Nations General Assembly, it is up to the same body to decide on its future.
“The risk of the Agency’s collapse threatens the lives and futures of individuals and communities, the stability of the region, and the integrity of our multilateral system,” says Lazzarini. “This is a critical moment for UNRWA, our 33,000 staff members, and the millions of Palestine Refugees we serve.”
