How Israel is tightening its grip on Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem
Summary
Israel is tightening restrictions on Palestinian schools in occupied East Jerusalem through limits on teachers’ entry permits and policies that encourage schools to adopt the Israeli curriculum. Teachers and a human rights group say these measures disrupt education and threaten the autonomy and cultural identity of Palestinian schools.Key Facts
- Jamal Shalabi, a chemistry teacher who commutes from el-Bireh in the occupied West Bank, was told his entry permit would be revoked when it expires at the end of the 2026–27 school year.
- School administrators said 180 Palestinian teachers face permit revocations.
- Permit delays in September and January led to school strikes in East Jerusalem.
- Teachers’ permits restrict when they can enter Jerusalem and limit them to being at their workplaces, according to Shalabi.
- Shalabi said the restrictions prevent teachers from visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque or accompanying students on field trips.
- An Israeli government plan conditions funding for new schools on adopting the Israeli curriculum and includes teacher training within Israel’s education system.
- The human rights organization Ir Amim says the policies could weaken Palestinian education’s autonomy and cultural identity.
- Ir Amim says a law barring teachers with degrees from Palestinian institutions could worsen the existing teacher shortage.
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