Arab League urges global action to protect education in occupied Palestinian territories
The Arab League has called upon international legal, human rights, and media organizations to address the deteriorating state of education in Palestine amid ongoing Israeli military actions.
This appeal was made during the conclusion of the 108th session of the Educational Programs Committee for Arab students in occupied territories.
In his address, Ambassador Saeed Abu Ali, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Palestine and Occupied Arab Territories Sector, emphasized the urgent need to support Palestinian education. He highlighted the extensive damage to the education sector due to Israeli attacks, describing it as a “major disaster” with severe human and material losses.
Ambassador Abu Ali reported that over 30,000 Palestinian children have been killed or injured, with 93 percent of educational infrastructure severely damaged. More than 70 percent of UNRWA schools were bombed, over 130 university facilities destroyed, and some 750,000 students prevented from attending school.
The situation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has also been severely impacted by escalated violence, affecting over 780,000 students who face restricted movement, violence, and the threat of harassment by settlers and Israeli forces.
The four-day session of the Committee on Educational Programs, led by Ayoub Alian from the Palestinian Ministry of Education, was held at the Arab League’s headquarters, concluding with a united call for immediate global support to safeguard Palestinian education in these critical times.
