At least 20 UNRWA teachers praised the massacre carried out by Hamas terrorists on 7 October, according to a study by the IMPACT C institute that examines the content of education systems in many countries around the world.
Palestinians in Gaza break into UNRWA aid distribution centers
"The examples we have collected of UNRWA teachers' support for the massacre are numerous and cross gender and geography," IMPACT C said. According to the findings, a teacher in Gaza named Ataf Talab, whose Facebook page background image is adorned with photos of terrorists from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, expressed a wish on October 23 that "God will destroy the enemy and the Jews." On October 7, an UNRWA teacher from the Gaza Strip named Asmaa Huhail wrote on her Facebook account "Save The Date," a phrase commonly used at celebrations.
"Magnificent morning"
Ranush Saleh, an UNRWA teacher, wrote on 7 October: "This is a glorious and unforgettable morning." Praise for the massacre near the Gaza Strip was also praised at a rally held in the courtyard of an UNRWA school in the West Bank. Additionally, an UNRWA document was found in one of the vehicles of Hamas terrorists on 7 October.
An UNRWA teacher writes on 7 October: "This is a glorious and unforgettable morning."
The research institute says that the expressions of support by UNRWA teachers for the massacre indicate the failure of the workshops conducted by the agency for its teachers to avoid incitement in general and on the networks in particular.
"UNRWA refrains in its social media training from educating Palestinian teachers against incitement and anti-Semitism on the Internet. Instead, she settles for teaching them how to avoid expressing political opinions on social media. UNRWA conducts training for teachers in the field of social media, but instead of addressing the problem of antisemitism and support for terrorism, these training programs focus on teaching Palestinian teachers how to reduce exposure on social media through privacy guidelines." According to institute officials, few attend the workshops because educational staff refused to participate, and some boycotted them.
"Need a change"
Former MK Einat Wilf, who researches the UNRWA issue, commented on the report's findings, saying: "The findings of this report prove once again that UNRWA as an organization is absolutely committed to the ideology of 'Palestinian return,' according to which there is no right for the Jewish people to exist in any territory between the river and the sea. On 7 October, we saw what it looks like when trained killers work to implement the ideology on which they were educated all their lives. If we want to have a different future, this time it requires a radical change in the attitude of the Israeli leadership towards the organization.
Diesel trucks pass through Rafah for UNRWA, Photo: AFP
"Unfortunately, for decades, the State of Israel has served as UNRWA's number one lobbyist in Western capitals, under the mistaken assumption that this is an organization that contributes to the 'recession' and is irreplaceable. In practice it is the opposite. In areas where UNRWA is most active, such as Gaza and Lebanon, and where the culture of 'refugee' is strongest, there is the most violence.
The connection between the Palestinian idea of "return" and terrorism is 75 years old. Therefore, there will be no change, not in Gaza, not in the West Bank and not in East Jerusalem, as long as UNRWA continues to give international legitimacy to the idea of ongoing Palestinian refugees and 'return'. Israel should announce the end of its voluntary cooperation with UNRWA and withdraw the organization from wherever it operates. Only in this way will it be possible to imagine another life that is not a constant war."
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