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Wed, December 22, 2010 | The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

Palestinian children attend a summer camp at the beach of Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas Denounces UNRWA Following Palestinian Youth Delegation’s Visit to the U.S.

An UNRWA delegation of 15 Palestinian youths in UNRWA schools in the Gaza Strip who excelled in the study of human rights, conflict resolution and tolerance went to the United States for a visit. During their stay they met with members of the Congress, visited a Holocaust exhibition and were exposed to the American way of life. Their stay was filmed and shown as a documentary which won a prize at the recent “We the People” film festival in London.^[1] As a result, the authority for refugee affairs in the de facto Hamas administration denounced the visit and expressed its hope that UNRWA “would not do it again.”

Hamas’ denunciation is another example of the campaign the movement is waging against UNRWA over the nature of the education of the children in the Gaza Strip. The campaign attempts to prevent children from participating in UNRWA summer camps and attending UNRWA schools, and includes force, arson and the destruction of the camps, as well as attempts to prevent UN-authorized human rights studies to be taught in the UNRWA education system. For example, in September 2009, following news that the UNRWA school curriculum would include Holocaust studies, Hamas undertook a broad media attack. It included Holocaust denial, calling it a “lie” which “has not yet been scientifically proved” and whose objective was to reinforce the legitimacy of the so-called Israeli “occupation” of “Palestine.”^[2]

Notes:

[1] http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=860

[2] For further information about the disagreement between UNRWA and Hamas over education in the Gaza Strip and Holocaust studies, see the September 6, 2009 bulletin “The battle for hearts and minds in the Gaza Strip: Hamas attacks UNRWA for planning to teach the Holocaust in its schools. The attack reflects Hamas’ ambition for absolute control over education in the Gaza Strip and to inculcate students with its radical Islamic ideology, including hatred and terrorism against Israel” at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_e082.pdf. Also see the September 14, 2010 bulletin “This year Hamas’ summer camps in the Gaza Strip again combined political Islamic indoctrination and paramilitary training with social activities. Conspicuous were manifestations of solidarity with Turkey over the Mavi Marmara. UNRWA summer camps, considered competition by Hamas, were again attacked by Islamist extremists” at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_e128.pdf.