The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says he hopes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait will come up with $80 million to ensure 500,000 boys and girls can start the next school term on time in August.
Pierre Krahenbuhl told a news conference Tuesday that the three Gulf countries came to the rescue last year, when the agency had a $101 million shortfall, and he hopes they will "renew the generosity this year."
"If we could have that, then we will be able to avoid another crisis this summer," he said.
Last year's funding crisis almost led to a delay in starting the school year.
UNRWA operates 700 schools for Palestinian refugees with 22,000 education staff in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
