Jalazone Camp

Jalazone camp is located north of Ramallah and directly borders the Israeli settlement of Beit El to the east, which is illegal under international law. Extensive population growth since the camp was established in 1949 has resulted in overcrowding and overburdened infrastructure, as well as land-usage disputes among camp residents and between the camp and surrounding villages.

Jalazone refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Dominiek Benoot
Jalazone refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Dominiek Benoot

Following the Oslo Accords, the majority of Jalazone camp fell under joint Israeli-Palestinian control (Area B). The ongoing expansion of the Israeli settlement, Beit El, has served as a catalyst for intensified confrontations between camp residents and the Israeli military. Clashes occur almost daily and sometimes result in the Israeli military entering the camp. The UNRWA Jalazone Boys’ School is located just outside the camp in Area C and rests directly opposite the Israeli Beit El settlement. The school’s location is a significant protection concern due to the clashes in this area and the Israeli military presence around the settlement.

Jalazone refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Dominiek Benoot
Jalazone refugee camp. © 2015 UNRWA Photo by Dominiek Benoot

Jalazone residents used to depend on work opportunities outside the camp, which included work inside Israel and in neighbouring settlements. However, since the end of the first intifada, these work opportunities have become largely closed off to camp residents due to road closures and movement restrictions. This has resulted in consistently high levels of unemployment.

For more information about Jalazone Camp (click here

REFUGEE CAMPS IN the West Bank

We provide services in 19 Palestine refugee camps in the West Bank. UNRWA does not administer or police the camps, as this is the responsibility of the host authorities.

Quick Facts

Refugees in camps

  • They originate from 36 villages in Lydd, Ramleh, Haifa and in the area west of Hebron
  • There are 16,439* Palestine Refugees registered in the camp as of 2022

    * This figure does not claim to represent the actual number of Palestine Refugees present in the camp but merely the number of Palestine Refugees registered with UNRWA in the camp

Official camps

  • Jalazone camp was established in 1949
  • It sits on 0.253 sq km, with an estimated population density of 51,383 per sq km
Unrwa In Jalazone Camp

Schools

  • Jalazone has three schools: a boys’ school, a girls’ school and co-educational school, serving 1,737 students 

Health Centre

  • One health centre provides primary health care including reproductive health, infant and child care, immunizations, screening and medical check-ups and treatment