This weekend, the law banning UNRWA operations within Israeli territory officially went into effect. The law, which passed with an overwhelming majority of 92 Knesset members, is being implemented despite numerous reservations and attempts by countries worldwide to prevent its application in Israel.
For the first time, details have emerged about how dozens of agencies coordinated to develop alternatives for east Jerusalem residents. Most surprisingly, residents themselves have acknowledged that UNRWA's services were substandard and had fostered a black market in supplies provided by the organization.
Over recent months, numerous agencies worked intensively to establish alternative services for east Jerusalem residents who had partially relied on UNRWA but will now transition to state-provided services. The Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage announced Wednesday that all preparatory work has been completed.
The initiative traces its origins to April when the ministry received direction from the National Security Council regarding the creation of alternatives to UNRWA services in east Jerusalem. The framework largely built upon Government Resolution 3790 from Israel's 34th government, established in 2018.
That resolution sought to address social and economic disparities in east Jerusalem while promoting substantial economic development. "We learned a great deal from the ongoing process initiated six years ago," a senior ministry official explained, "which informed our approach."
The ministry recognized that success required a grassroots approach rather than "being imposed on residents through a government decision," as the senior official put it. A dedicated team was established to map residents' needs, making unprecedented inroads into the community through meetings with sector leaders and parent committees.
These meetings revealed concerning testimonies, including evidence that UNRWA's services were substandard compared to parallel Israeli services across multiple domains. Moreover, it emerged that the free distribution of medications through UNRWA's health system in east Jerusalem had led to the creation of an unregulated black market in pharmaceuticals.
Introducing teams into east Jerusalem proved highly complex, as most residents expressed aversion to receiving state services and refused to consider state-sponsored alternatives. Furthermore, it's important to note that the organization's institutions are unofficial and maintain no contact with the Jerusalem municipality, complicating efforts to establish current situational assessments through public engagement teams.
However, in private discussions between these teams and east Jerusalem representatives, residents admitted that replacing UNRWA's services was a necessary step. "Think about how receiving services from UNRWA gives east Jerusalem residents a certain status," a member of the implementation team told Israel Hayom. "There's constant concern in the community about whether someone is cooperating with Israel. Sending your children to UNRWA educational institutions or getting vaccinations at the organization's clinics provides cover.
"It's a mixed team, we come with local people," the team member explained. "These people are in a very sensitive position, they're like agents within their own community. Through them, we manage to understand the difficulty families have in joining Israeli schools, for instance, because in private conversations they raise concerns about 'how will I be perceived in my community.'
"That's why we sit down with everyone necessary and explain the importance of receiving higher-quality Israeli services, despite internal and external pressures," the team member continued. "This way, residents understand we want better lives for them, and that mother understands our goal is for her child to integrate optimally into the workforce when they grow up, just as she wants to happen."
As previously revealed in Israel Hayom, the replacement of UNRWA services in the capital initially focuses primarily on education and healthcare. Teams entering east Jerusalem and conducting conversations with residents drew numerous conclusions about these two sectors.
In education, for instance, parents expressed significant dissatisfaction with UNRWA schools' academic standards and felt powerless to influence school operations. This dissatisfaction is reflected in steadily declining enrollment: from approximately 2,900 students in the early 1990s to about 1,800 in 2018, dropping to a record low of roughly 800 students by the end of 2023. This represents a significant loss of trust in the organization's educational frameworks and proves that residents want improved quality of life.
"In the last six years, many parents in east Jerusalem have had an awakening," the team member noted. "They've told us 'enough with this outdated educational system that isn't advancing our children anywhere.' They understand it's an obsolete program that's past its time, and now there's a migration toward the Israeli curriculum."
Statistics from UNRWA's six educational institutions in Jerusalem confirm these concerns: only 3% of male fourth-grade graduates demonstrated age-appropriate literacy levels, with eighth-grade graduates performing even worse at 2.3%. Overall student performance stands at just 8.3%, far below average due to inadequate teacher training and lack of basic educational oversight.
City residents also raised serious concerns about the organization's healthcare operations. It emerged that UNRWA's vaccination program is significantly limited compared to Israeli clinics. While the organization's health facilities provide vaccines for only ten diseases, Israeli clinics offer these plus immunizations for rotavirus, pneumococcal disease, chickenpox, Hepatitis A, and HPV. Furthermore, the organization's well-baby clinics provide only basic primary care, without addressing child development services.
In fact, the operation of UNRWA clinics in east Jerusalem created an absurd situation where most residents hold Health Ministry insurance cards and receive services through both entities simultaneously. Ministry officials explain: "During the COVID period, it was reported that over 93% of vaccine recipients in east Jerusalem were vaccinated at Health Ministry clinics. This means almost everyone registered for UNRWA services trusts the Israeli healthcare system more."
This occurs due to benefits residents are entitled to through the aid organization; by definition, residents classified as refugees are eligible for free medications and dental treatments, leading to their use of dual services.
Looking ahead, Liron Yiflach, deputy director general of the Jerusalem and Israeli Heritage Ministry, outlined a three-phase implementation plan. "The second phase is set to begin around September," she explained. "We'll install portable classrooms to save students from traveling outside refugee camps to reach schools. We'll also continue expanding medical services in east Jerusalem.
"In healthcare, we've approved construction of a multipurpose facility providing health, leisure, and welfare services." She added, "If we identify additional needs, we're prepared to address them. Welfare, leisure, sanitation, culture, community services, senior care – we're taking full responsibility."
The initiative currently carries a budget of NIS 60 million ($16.2 million), with flexibility for expansion based on emerging needs. "We're playing the long game," Yiflach emphasized. "We're looking at the next generation, and the one after that. The Hebrew language instruction students will receive, laboratory studies, leisure and cultural activities, sports field breaks – all these create the path to future integration into quality employment rather than dangerous activities. It's a complex process that moves slowly, but it's moving and bearing fruit. If it's complicated in east Jerusalem, it's seven times more complex in the Shuafat refugee camp, but we're not afraid of this challenge."
