Palestine ministry suspends UNRWA ties amid school row

RAMALLAH, Palestine

The Palestinian education ministry on Thursday announced it is suspending contact with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

According to a ministry statement the suspension was in protest at UNRWA's intention to amend the Palestinian curriculum in West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip schools.

The UNRWA’s decision -- which teaches the curriculum of the host country in its schools -- was taken following repeated accusations by Israel that the Palestinian curriculum contains materials that incite violence, something denied by the Palestinian ministry.

“Any distortion of the Palestinian curriculum is a flagrant violation of the laws of the host country,” the ministry said in the statement.

“Changing any character to appease any party is a betrayal of the Palestinian narrative and the right of the Palestinian people, which is under Israeli occupation, to preserve its identity,” it added.

Palestinian Education Minister Sabri Sidem said Palestine would not surrender to anyone.

“We will not accept giving up our dignity, history and decades of struggle to protect the Palestinian narrative,” he said.

In March, the Palestinian ministry warned UNRWA against any amendments to the Palestinian curriculum, noting that it had not received any official correspondence from the international agency.