UNRWA schools in Gaza - a greenhouse for Hamas and anti Israeli radicalism

Hamas maintains control over UNRWA Staff Union

The "Professional List" headed by senior Hamas activist, Suhail al-Hindi, won a landslide victory

in the elections to UNRWA Staff Union elections held in September 2012. With high turnout of

approximately 11,500 UNRWA employees who cast their ballot, the "Professional List", affiliated

with Hamas, won all 11 seats of the teachers sector, 6 out of 7 seats of the workers sector and 8 out

of 9 seat of the services sector. The "Karameh [dignity] List", affiliated with the Islamic Jihad, took

part in the elections. Fatah, on the other hand, boycotted the elections arguing that Hamas controls

UNRWA Staff Union and restricts the activity of its members.1

Al-Kutla al-Islamiya activities in UNRWA's schools

Al-Kutla al-Islamiya (a.k.a al-Kutla), literally the Islamic block, is Hamas official arm operating in

all educational institutions in the Gaza Strip, from elementary schools to colleges and universities,

including the educational institutions run by UNRWA. The Kutka's strategy in elementary and

middle school is focused on attracting students to its variety of activities, that intended to strengthen

the bonds with the students as well as their belief in Islam, and exposing them gradually to Hamas

ideology in order to make them active members of the Islamic movement. In each school, including

those run by UNRWA, Hamas appointed a student to head al-Kutla local branch, who operates as

point of contact for Hamas and responsible for recruiting students to the Kutla and organizing

activities inside school and after-school.