Jerusalem Teachers Strike Against Israel's Imposed Curriculum

The new school year in East Jerusalem – an area occupied by Israel – began on Tuesday amid an indefinite strike by teachers at private and Christian schools, protesting Israeli interference in the Palestinian students' curriculum.

Accordingly, all new first- and seventh-grade students at public schools in East Jerusalem, where Palestinians are the majority, are required to use only the Israeli curriculum this academic year. The move has sparked fierce opposition from Palestinians.

In addition, entry permits for teachers from the West Bank to teach at East Jerusalem schools have been blocked by Israel, according to Haaretz. This means that one in three Palestinian students in East Jerusalem – over 45,000 students in total – will follow the Israeli education program, a nearly fourfold increase from six years ago.

Marouf al-Rifai, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority in Jerusalem, described the forced imposition of the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools as a cultural and educational crime. In a statement on Facebook, he stressed: “The steadfastness of Jerusalemites, teachers, and students with the Palestinian curriculum is not just an attachment to textbooks, but a defense of memory, identity, history, and the right to determine our own national narrative.”

Earlier, Israeli forces confiscated educational premises previously run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Shu'fat and Kafr Aqab refugee camps, replacing them with Israeli-run facilities. Hamas official Haroun Nasser el-Din also issued a statement asserting: “The school, the books, and awareness are fundamental pillars in the battle for Jerusalem.” He added: “Palestinian identity in Jerusalem is deeper than being erased by imposed curricula or the arrogant procedures and policies of the occupier.”

The work permit crisis

Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem have faced a severe teacher shortage due to Israel blocking teachers from the West Bank from entering the city. The Secretary-General of Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem declared an indefinite strike in response to this crisis.

In a statement, the body said: “We were surprised, once again, when the entry permits of over 70 teachers and staff from our educational, administrative, and support teams were not renewed, abruptly and without prior warning, preventing them from reaching their schools and directly affecting readiness for the new school year. The absence of such a large number of personnel affects many aspects of school operations, from education, administration, and health to sanitation services and security and safety procedures, making it impossible to ensure a safe and stable start for students.”

Sylvia Amer, deputy director for academic and administrative affairs at College des Freres Jerusalem, said the sudden reversal of permits for dozens of teachers just 10 days before the start of school forced the institution to suspend classes. She said: “The sudden ban came after they confirmed to us in June that all permits would be issued for all teachers and administrative staff. If this continues, it will gradually affect the independence of schools and their educational and cultural identity.”

Systematic pressure tactics

The staffing crisis in East Jerusalem schools has been exacerbated by new Israeli laws targeting Palestinian schools. A Knesset law passed earlier this year bans hiring teachers with degrees from Palestinian universities in the Israeli education system. This directly targets the core teaching force in East Jerusalem, where about 60% of the 6,700 Arab educators hold Palestinian degrees, according to Haaretz.

Mike Bassam Farraj, general director of schools for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, told Al Jazeera that the denial of permits and legal barriers constitute a systematic pressure campaign. He said: “This is a systematic pressure method against Christian schools in Jerusalem and private schools in general, aimed at reducing the number of staff and teachers coming from the West Bank.”

The Israeli authorities also use budget as a tool to pressure schools, Farraj added: “In fact, there are continuous financial temptations – to avoid the word 'extortion' – based on the equation: 'Adopt the Israeli Bagrut program and get any budget you want,' then they grant you much broader space and capacity.”

To counter this academic siege, Farraj said schools must rely on the judicial system: “For some other professions, we are forced to engage in legal confrontation and tireless pursuit before the authorities and the government. The matter often leads – as in the medical specialty, for example – to obtaining decisions from the Supreme Court to demand and prove the right of graduates to be granted professional practice licenses in their exact field, whether medicine, law, or others.”