With nearly 625,000 Gazan children missing out on any form of schooling or education for a second year in a row due to Israel’s genocidal war on the Palestinian territory, activists and experts have raised fears of lost generations.
Since launching its war over 11 months ago, Israel has deliberately targeted and destroyed nearly 90% of Gaza’s schools, many of which were already being used as shelters for internally displaced people, according to the Palestinian Education Ministry.
Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, a veteran Malaysian politician and spouse of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, has called Israel’s targeting of schools, students and educational infrastructure alike an act of “educide.”
In an exclusive interview with Daily Sabah on the sidelines of the “Education in Peril: The Human Cost of War” panel in Doha, Qatar, Wan Azizah held major Western powers and their unconditional support for Israel responsible for the dire situation.
The event was organized by the Doha-based Education Above All (EAA) foundation, under the auspicious of Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the mother of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
“An educide is taking place in Gaza. We have of course seen some other examples but here now the problem is Israel because of their aggression,” Wan Azizah said, adding that other nations must pick up the pieces.
“The problem is how Israel is being backed by big powers ... I think that once the great powers stop giving this (Israel’s self-defense) a justification we will start something. But in the meantime, the way I look at it, we have to just pick up the pieces, whatever we can. Malaysia is one country, yet we try, in the name of humanity.”
On the international community’s duty to ensure that education, particularly in war-ravaged Gaza, Wan Azizah called on countries and their leaders to unite and raise their voices, saying attacks on education were against human ethics and the ethics of war.
“I think leaders, the capable leaders, brave leaders, leaders with a conscious should group together and say stop to war, stop this. In the meantime, we have to pick up the pieces and try to salvage whatever we can for the next generation, for our future.”
“We have to group together. Without unity we are fragmented they can just shoot us in any war, in a conflict ... if we are united we show our force and we are a force to be dealt with,” she said.
The Malaysian politician, however, acknowledged the question of a lack of unity in the Muslim world and urged countries to look past small differences for the Palestinian cause.
"Well, I think it is part of the human problem, where you have different colors, different races and all that ... But in the Muslim world, we should be united by one faith, there is only one God."
"There are differences and when small things are highlighted we disunite. Since we know that all the Muslim leaders should come together. We have the OIC ... Is it not working? Can we not all group together and help our Palestinian brothers and sisters?"
In connection, she put forward Malaysia's efforts toward displaced Palestinians and students in particular, saying that Kualalumpur is collaborating with regional countries to evacuate injured children under 18 and receive treatment in Malaysia.
"They are offered further education by giving scholarships for higher education. Because there is a difference between the educated in Palestine and other displaced people from other refugees," she said.
Wan Azizah also lauded the level of education among the Palestinians, saying: "They are actually very well educated and have reached a certain level."
"So the way of approaching them is different. We have given scholarships to a certain number of students to go into further education. We have given them (Palestinian students) up to 4.5 million Malaysian Ringgit ($1.04 million) for higher education."
"We have also given also 2.83 million Rohingya Muslims in life support and 1.22 million Malaysian Ringgit to pay for their school fees."
She said Malaysia has experience from Vietnam, of people coming and staying as refugees, before returning to rebuild their home country.
"The same thing with Palestinians. They have a country. Now they are refugees for the war for the time being. But once we help them, Malaysia is a transit and try to help them. they go back to their own country. Because we don’t want mass destruction in Palestine. Palestinians belong to Palestine. So they will go back but we have to help them during the time of crises and distress," she added.
The Malaysian prime minister's spouse also lauded the Turkish first lady Emine Erdoğan and her efforts to alleviate the conditions of Rohingya refugees.
"She even flew to Rohingya to meet the refugees at one time. These are the initiatives they have done and they are very commendable. As first ladies, we are not governmental in a way, it is soft diplomacy."
She also lauded the brotherly relationship between Türkiye and Malaysia, saying the two countries are bonded by a common faith and their fight for justice.
"We have a really good relations with Mrs Erdogan. I met her once when my husband was in jail and I had so many problems I was overwhelmed and kind of complaining. And she gave me one short clip in Turkish language and it was translated. It said we have God, we have Allah."
"It really hit me and then I was ok, once we have that, it strengthens you! Of course, this world is a test for us and we try our best, and the rest of it we leave it. But we try, we have to fight for justice," she added.
"We have really good relations with Türkiye and President Erdoğan has been personally really nice to us ... In a way as brothers, as family. I am very thankful that Türkiye and Malaysia (have) come closer as a Muslim group. So we have at least a balance of world powers. This is important that you then have a bit of say whatever you say doesn’t resonate anywhere."
On a relevant note, Türkiye and Malaysia are both shining stars of the Islamic world, relying on non-oil resources and technology. They have both grown gradually with their developed middle class and have established critical infrastructures. The duo raised their bilateral relationships to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022.
Wan Azizah praised the economic headway Türkiye has made under President Erdoğan saying, "If you have a good economy you can help others ... I think this can be another part of the equation to try to help out wherever we need to help."
She then urged the world community to open their eyes and hearts to end the blatant dispossession and aggression in Palestine and stop Israel's genocidal war immediately.
"These are your fellow brothers, sisters and children. So If I had my way I would do that (stop the war). But we are limited in the way we are trying to get that message across. Yet, we have to have a voice and it has to be in unity. To say that look for the sake of humanity stop this."
Wan Azizah finally reviewed the latest edition of “Evidence,” a photobook prepared by Türkiye’s Anadolu Agency (AA) to document Israel's war crimes in Gaza.
She examined the book in detail and said that she was deeply saddened to see the real face of the genocide in Gaza.
The book includes photo evidence of Israel's white phosphorus use, which is illegal under the U.N. Convention on Conventional Weapons.
"I was very affected and saddened, but these are real," said Wan Azizah.
The war was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas incursion of southern Israel, which caused 1,205 deaths, according to official Israeli figures.
Israel's genocidal military campaign, in comparison, has killed at least 41,084 people in Gaza, according to the territory's Health Ministry. The U.N. rights office says most of the dead are women and children.
