How a U.N. Refugee Agency Instills Hatred in Kids: Karys Rhea

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian refugees publicly claims to adhere to UN values of human rights and tolerance.

In my interview with Karys Rhea, we take a look at UNRWA written textbooks, classroom exercises and school materials.

According to UNRWA itself, the agency “reviews all textbooks used in its schools to identify sections that may not be in line with UN values and UNESCO standards for teaching.” http://www.unrwa.org/unrwa-claims-versus-facts-2025

In Gaza, UNRWA has taken on traditional government functions by not only providing education but healthcare, social services, microfinance, and infrastructure to the ~2 million population. UNRWA is one of Gaza’s largest employers with ~13,000 employees.

This arrangement has freed Gaza’s de facto government, Hamas, from governing responsibilities and has made it possible for Hamas to focus on the maintenance and expansion of its military/terror capabilities and operations.

Since almost all UNRWA employees in Gaza are Palestinian refugees themselves, they are unlikely to be neutral observers of the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.

Therefore, it is not surprising to find much evidence that UNRWA and Hamas are deeply intertwined with significant numbers of UNRWA employees or their immediate family members acting as Hamas operatives.

For example, Hamas uses UNRWA facilities (schools, clinics, compounds) for weapons storage, tunnel access, and military activity. Some UNRWA staff celebrate attacks on Israelis on social media. At least 12 of its employees participated in the October 7 massacres, with some of the hostages being held in UNRWA buildings and guarded by its employees.

Approximately one billion dollars, about 40% of UNRWA’s total annual budget of ~$2.5 billion, is spent in Gaza.​ Since more than half of the budget, around 55-60%, is spent on education, about $600 million goes to schools and education services.

What do Palestinian children learn in UNRWA run schools?
What we find in UNRWA’s reading and comprehension exercises and textbooks directly contradicts UNRWA’s claims of being aligned with humans rights and tolerance:

Children are taught to “nourish the homeland with blood,” and are urged to follow in the footsteps of famous male, and also female, terrorists - like, for example, Dalal Mughrabi.

Martyrdom is glorified; attacks on Israeli civilians are celebrated; jihad is promoted as life’s highest meaning and a ‘divine right.’ Jews are depicted in dehumanized ways.

Children from elementary grades onward are taught that armed resistance ought to be the root of their identity and that jihad gives their lives meaning.

For example, a 9th grade UNRWA-created exercise tells students that if they neglect jihad, they will be cursed by God. Students are asked to complete a sentence regarding the consequences of not caring about jihad.

The correctly completed sentence reads: “The punishment of he who neglects jihad is that God curses him, blinds his eyesight, and deafens his hearing.” https://www.impact-se.org/wp-content/uploads/UNRWA_Report_2023_IMPACT-se_And_UN-Watch.pdf

CHAPTERS
0:03:15 Radicalization and Education in Palestinian Society
0:09:23 Hamas’ Control and the Aftermath of the 2006 Elections
0:13:08 Factions and Clans in Gaza; Reformist Efforts
0:14:52 UNRWA as De Facto Government; Overview of Services
0:23:25 Education Under UNRWA: Schools, Curriculum, and Indoctrination
0:28:20 Textbook Examples: Glorification of Terrorism and Martyrdom
0:51:15 War in Gaza: Effects on Schools and Humanitarian Aid
0:56:18 UNRWA’s Official Perspective on Its Curriculum
1:01:11 Ties Between UNRWA, Hamas, and the October 7 Attacks
1:07:37 Humanitarian Aid in Post-UNRWA Gaza
1:09:17 Scope of Palestinian Radicalization
1:10:18 Solutions, De-radicalization, International Proposals
1:12:21 Assessing UNRWA’s Operational Complicity in the Conflict
1:17:05 Closing Reflections on Complexity and Suffering in Gaza