How Revenue Withholding and War Are Crippling Palestinian Education and Economy
A Human Rights Analysis
By Minhaz Samad Chowdhury
Independent Human Rights Defender
In conflict settings, education systems erode gradually. This interactive report analyzes how the withholding of tax revenues and ongoing war have disrupted education and collapsed the economy in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The Fiscal Trigger
Under the Paris Protocol, Israel collects customs and tax revenues for the Palestinian Authority (PA). Recently, billions in these revenues have been withheld. This is not just a line item; it is the lifeline of public services.
When a government cannot access its own fiscal transfers, it cannot pay salaries or maintain infrastructure. The result is an immediate paralysis of the public sector.
Key Insight
This is not merely a fiscal dispute. It is a structural crisis with long-term implications for children’s rights.
Approximately $4 billion withheld or frozen over the past two years, crippling the PA's ability to fund education.
The Education Breakdown
The direct consequence of the fiscal crisis is the erosion of the school system. Explore the metrics below to see how funding shortages have translated into lost learning hours and teacher attrition.
Operating Capacity
Public schools are currently operating only three days per week in many areas due to budget constraints and strikes.
Current Status
Economic Collapse: UNCTAD's Warning
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) reports one of the most severe economic contractions globally since 1960. The data paints a picture of regression and devastation.
Severe contraction
Extreme poverty level
Regressed to 2010 levels
Estimated need
Visualizing the Decline
Source: UNCTAD Report. Comparing key economic indicators to show the scale of the collapse.
Violence and Institutional Erosion
The crisis is not just financial; it is physical. Field reports document systemic threats to the safety of the learning environment, from military raids to school demolitions.
Click on the threat factors below to understand the specific impact on students and infrastructure.
The Legal Framework & Future Risk
International Protections
Guarantees the right to free and compulsory education for all.
Obligates states to ensure the progressive realization of the right to education.
Outlines obligations of an occupying power to ensure adequate education for the civilian population.
The "Ripple Effect"
Education systems serve as stabilizers. When they fail, the consequences are not contained to the classroom.
- • Child Labor: Increases as families replace lost income.
- • Institutional Trust: Erodes as the state fails to provide basic services.
- • Decades of Recovery: UNCTAD warns returning to pre-2023 levels could take decades.
Conclusion: A Strategic Necessity
Saving education is not a sectoral issue—it is a strategic necessity. When classrooms close, societies destabilize. Restoration of fiscal transfers, protection of schools, and international coordination are foundational requirements for sustainable peace.
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