oPt: Education Under Threat in the West Bank - July 2026

Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: Education Cluster Please refer to the attached file. Schools across the West Bank continue to face growing risks that undermine the protection of children's right to safe, accessible, and uninterrupted education. In Area C and East Jerusalem, schools operate within a restrictive planning regime, where obtaining Israeli-issued building permits is highly challenging, leaving many education facilities vulnerable to demolition, stop-work orders, and other measures affecting their continued operation. Movement restrictions, Israeli forces' operations, demolitions, and recurrent settler violence continue to disrupt access to education and affect the learning environment for students and teachers. According to the Education Cluster, these factors have undermined access to safe and quality education for more than 834,000 school-aged children across the West Bank, exacerbating a crisis that predates October 2023. Students and teachers continue to face physical obstacles, checkpoint delays, movement restrictions, and rising transportation costs, while schools in vulnerable communities remain at risk of disruption to their infrastructure and operations. Recent developments and key issues highlighted in this report include: Schools located east of Khallet al Maiyya Municipality along Road 356: The imminent risk of demolition of Ar Rifa'iyya Mixed Basic School, alongside concerns that a proposed new settlement road may affect schools in the Ad Deirat–Ar Rifa’iyya area, placing education services and significant investments in education infrastructure at risk. Yanoun Co-educational School: The demolition of Yanoun Co-educational School following the displacement of its community, illustrating the severe impact of displacement and insecurity on children’s access to education. Abandoned school buildings in displaced communities: The growing number of abandoned schools in communities affected by recurrent settler attacks and displacement, resulting in the loss of education services and disruption to children’s learning. Schools at risk of demolition: Increasing legal and administrative measures affecting schools at risk of demolition, including enforcement proceedings against schools in Area C, and the continued vulnerability of education infrastructure under the restrictive planning regime. Attacks on Education: Trends and Impact: Broader patterns of education-related violations, including attacks on schools, access restrictions, movement constraints, and their cumulative impact on students, teachers, and continuity of learning. Legal and Human Rights Context: The applicable international legal framework protecting the right to education and safeguarding schools, students, and education personnel. Recommended Actions (Advocacy): Key actions required to protect education infrastructure, safeguard governmental, UNRWA, and donor-funded investments in education, and ensure safe and sustained access to education for affected children. The cases presented in this report illustrate interconnected risks affecting protection of education in the West Bank. They reflect the combined impact of the restrictive planning regime in Area C and East Jerusalem, demolition orders, attacks on schools, and community displacement, disrupting children's access to education. The recurrent nature of these incidents, together with ongoing insecurity and limited accountability, undermines community resilience, threatens the sustainability of education services and investments, and places children's fundamental right to education at increasing risk.
2026-07-16 21:13:10