Amid this trauma and acute anxiety, John Aves Education Project students continue in their studies and hope for a peaceful future.
More than 20 years ago, the Rev John Aves, the much-loved Norwich priest and son of a Suffolk farmer, collapsed and died in Bethlehem while volunteering at the Dheisheh Refugee Camp.
Greetings to all the wonderful JAEP supporters from Sulaiman now serving the Palestinian community as a physician (Image: Submitted)
Since then, the project has raised large amounts of money to give generations of young men and women a university education.
His widow Anne and her sons Ben and Edmund first visited Dheisheh days after his death in 2004.
“We knew then that we couldn’t walk away from these dignified, resilient people,” she said.
It was in January 2007 that they decided to establish the John Aves Education Project and since then it has raised the sum of £686.283 to help young people in a tough world.
Anne would like to thank everyone for their continued support for the project.
So what is life like in the West Bank and for students at Al Quds and Bethlehem University in these troubled times?
Here are some of the recent messages.
SIBA who is now months away from officially becoming a doctor and wants to thank all supporters of the JAEP (Image: Submitted)
December 2025: Al Quds University is raided by the Israel Defence Forces.
Students are interrogated in their classrooms.
February 2026: Khalid Al Saifi, the founder of the Ibdaa Community Centre in Dheisheh, died after being held in detention for four months.
He was a great supporter of JAEP.
More than 10,000 people attended his funeral.
March 2026: An Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh, 13 miles from Bethlehem, shook houses in Dheisheh.
There are no bomb shelters in the cities, towns and refugee camps in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
March 2026: Teaching has moved online as the safety of the students remains the top priority.
“We hope the crisis will end soon and that students will be able to return safely to campus and continue their studies in person,” say Al Quds University.
Nibel. One of the first JAEP graduates now working for a global networking company based in Caesarea, Israel (Image: Submitted)
The latest messages and updates from JAEP students include these from:
Siba: “From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for your unwavering support.
“I am just a few months away from officially becoming a doctor, and I truly could not have reached this milestone without your guidance and encouragement.
“You played an important role in me achieve a childhood dream and I am deeply grateful for that.
“I hope one day I can follow in your footsteps and support others the way you supported me.”
Sulaiman: Graduated in Medicine last year following a four-year JAEP scholarship.
“Greetings to all the wonderful JAEP supporters.
“I am currently working on the frontlines at Beit Jala Governmental Hospital and the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation.
“It is a highly demanding time—I am currently working around 34 twelve-hour shifts each month.
“Navigating my final years of medical school during the recent war and geopolitical challenges was incredibly difficult.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to JAEP.
“Your scholarship was a true lifeline for my family and me.
“It relieved a massive financial burden during very difficult times, allowing me to focus on my patients and my dream of serving the Palestinian community as a physician.
“Thank you for believing in me,” he said.
Other students include Touleen, who is currently assisting in obstetrics and gynaecology at Al Hussein Hospital in Beit Jala, ten miles from Bethlehem, and Nibel, a technical leader for a global networking company based in Caesarea, Israel.
Touleen. Now a final year medical student after receiving a four year JAEP scholarship (Image: Submitted)
A JEAP scholarship from 2012 for two years, Nibal has worked for the company since 2020 and is still the only Palestinian on the work force, Her team has recently expanded and includes people from Israel, Serbia and India.
And the work of the JAEP continues.
Next year the project will be 20 years old.
For more details, email info@jaep.org.uk.
Father John
The Reverend Canon John Aves was the son of Micky and Margaret Aves, part of a family farming and building business in the Hinderclay and Redgrave area of Suffolk.
He went to school at Ickworth and Bury St Edmunds and during his career with the church served at Brixton Prison, St Peter Mancroft, Norwich, St Mary’s Church, Attleborough, and was priest in charge at St Giles, Norwich.
He collapsed and died on Star Street in Bethlehem while working at the Dheisheh Refugee Camp.
He was 52.