Palestinian graduates in the West Bank face nearly 40% unemployment amid economic collapse
By
Leila Warah
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
The article covers the dire employment situation for Palestinian university graduates in the West Bank, where youth joblessness has reached nearly 40 percent. Despite the celebratory atmosphere at graduation ceremonies at Bethlehem University, graduates face a collapsed job market with few opportunities. The piece profiles several graduates, including Siwar Abu Kamal (business degree), Yazan al-Saadi (English literature), and others, who express disillusionment as their degrees fail to translate into jobs. The economic crisis in the West Bank has been worsened by Israeli restrictions, the war on Gaza, and the Palestinian Authority's financial struggles. Many graduates are considering leaving or taking jobs far below their qualifications.
Key quotes
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"I feel like I wasted four years of my life," Yazan al-Saadi, 22, an English literature graduate, said.
"We are not asking for much. We just want a chance to prove ourselves, to build something," another graduate said.
"The situation is catastrophic. There are no jobs, no opportunities, no hope," a local economist told Al Jazeera.