Hamas condemns alleged attempts to erase Palestinian identity from UNRWA education in Lebanon

The Palestinian Information Centre reported growing anger across Palestinian camps and communities in Lebanon over measures attributed to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). These measures have been seen as a direct attack on Palestinian national identity.

According to the report, the steps include removing the name “Palestine” from educational materials and banning the use of national symbols inside UNRWA schools and institutions.

In this context, Hamas’s Popular Action Department in Lebanon issued a strongly worded statement accusing UNRWA of carrying out a systematic campaign targeting Palestinian national identity and symbols linked to the Palestinian cause. It said these actions are part of wider efforts to erase national awareness and remove the Palestinian cause from the minds of younger generations.

The statement added that the campaign includes deleting the name Palestine, banning the use of the map of Palestine, and removing all references to the Palestinian cause from school curricula. It also includes banning the wearing or display of national symbols, such as the keffiyeh or the map of Palestine, and imposing penalties on staff for any activity or expression with a national character.