EU threatens to freeze Palestinian education funding

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:01]Since the displacement of Palestinians, education has served as a key tool for preserving the Palestinian cause and reinforcing the national narrative through school curricula.

[00:00:14]Following the establishment of the PA after the Oslo Accords in 1993, developing a national curriculum became a top priority.

[00:00:23]But it later turned into a target of Israeli and international pressure.

[00:00:29]Despite years of European funding for Palestinian education, the EU has linked part of its aid to curriculum changes over allegations of incitement, which Palestinians reject.

[00:00:43]The problem lies in the world's double standards. While it speaks of peace and justice, the victim is asked to forget its own history. For Palestinians to erase the words like Nakba, prisoners, and martyrs, and to forget cities like Acre, Haifa, and Jaffa. Palestinians are being asked to abandon their narrative in the name of peace.

[00:01:09]These concepts are taught from the earliest grades and remain central to the curriculum. The education system is now facing increasing financial and political pressure.

[00:01:22]The ministry is working on multiple tracks to sustain the education sector and secure funding for schools across Palestine. This includes investing in technology training for teachers and exploring support from Palestinians overseas and other Arab nations.

[00:01:37]However, pro-Israeli research centers argue that no substantial changes have been made to the curriculum, renewing calls for funding suspension.

[00:01:50]Let them halt the funding. The EU cannot dictate full control over our educational curriculum. Any financial bargaining over our textbooks is seen as a violation of our people's rights, our constants, and our national narrative.

[00:02:03]Just as they teach their children how to steal from our country, we teach our students how to protect our country.

[00:02:12]EU funding, which could be suspended if the PA do not comply, spans multiple sectors, with education only part of it.

[00:02:21]A freeze could deepen the financial crisis, but the latest are widely seen as non-negotiable as they touch core national principles.

[00:02:31]Threats of funding suspension pose a major challenge to the Palestinian Authority, which is struggling to keep schools functioning under financial restrictions and economic blockade. At the same time, it seeks to safeguard the future of the Palestinian cause and reinforce principles of freedom among students from an early age.

[00:02:52]Mohammed Alwan, TRT World, Ramallah, occupied West Bank.

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