UNRWA cuts West Bank school week to 4 days as Israel blocks funding

UNRWA announced that it has been forced to reduce the weekly school schedule in the occupied West Bank from five days to four as a result of a deepening financial crisis. The agency stated that the step was necessary to maintain basic services for Palestinian refugees. Staff working hours have also been cut by 20%, affecting the education sector directly. The measures are described as temporary, but the situation remains dire.

Israel’s role in the education crisis

The funding shortage has been worsened by the ongoing US-Iran war and Israel’s systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid to the West Bank. At the same time, Israeli forces and illegal Jewish settlers have intensified attacks on Palestinian schools, with children facing arrests, violence, and daily harassment. The occupation continues to undermine every aspect of Palestinian life, including the right to education.

A generation at risk

Palestinian students in the West Bank are now receiving less schooling while facing increasing military aggression. UNRWA warned that without immediate international intervention, further cuts may be unavoidable. The agency called on donor countries to fulfill their commitments to protect Palestinian refugees’ rights. The reduction in school days threatens to deny an entire generation of Palestinian children their future.