Jerusalem schools strike over Israeli curriculum mandate and teacher permit block

September 1, 2026 at 08:19 PM3 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Private and Christian schools in East Jerusalem began an open-ended strike on Tuesday, the first day of the academic year, over Israel's enforcement of its curriculum and the blocking of entry permits for West Bank teachers. More than 45,000 Palestinian students, one in three in occupied East Jerusalem, are now enrolled in the Israeli educational programme, a nearly fourfold increase over six years ago. The strike follows Israel's seizure of educational compounds formerly operated by UNRWA in Shu'fat refugee camp and Kafr Aqab.

Key Facts

All new first and seventh-grade classes at East Jerusalem's Palestinian-majority municipal schools have been told to exclusively use the Israeli curriculum this year.
Entry permits for more than 70 teachers and employees from West Bank schools were not renewed suddenly and without prior warning, according to the General Secretariat for Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem.
More than 45,000 Palestinian students in occupied East Jerusalem, one in three, are now enrolled in the Israeli educational programme, a nearly fourfold increase over six years ago.
Israeli forces recently seized educational compounds formerly operated by UNRWA in the Shu'fat refugee camp and Kafr Aqab, to be replaced with Israeli-administered facilities.
Jerusalem Governorate spokesman Marouf al-Rifai called the forced integration of Israeli curriculum into Palestinian schools a cultural and educational crime.

Curriculum Imposition

All new first and seventh-grade classes at East Jerusalem's Palestinian-majority municipal schools have been told to exclusively use the Israeli curriculum this year. The move means that one-in-three Palestinian students in occupied East Jerusalem, more than 45,000 in total, will be enrolled in the Israeli educational programme, a nearly fourfold increase over six years ago. Jerusalem Governorate spokesman Marouf al-Rifai described the forced integration of Israeli curriculum into Palestinian schools as a cultural and educational crime. He said in a statement on Facebook that adherence to the Palestinian curriculum is a defense of memory, identity, history, and the right to determine the national narrative.

Teacher Permit Crisis

Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem have already suffered a severe staffing shortage due to Israel effectively blocking teachers from the West Bank from reaching the city's schools. The General Secretariat for Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem announced an indefinite strike in response to the crisis. The body said it was surprised by the non-renewal of entry permits for more than 70 teachers and employees from its educational, administrative, and support cadres, in a sudden manner and without prior warning. The absence of this large number of cadres affects various aspects of school work, including educational, administrative, health, cleaning services, and security and safety procedures, making it impossible to guarantee a safe and stable start for students.

UNRWA Seizures and Reactions

Israeli forces recently seized educational compounds formerly operated by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in the Shu'fat refugee camp and Kafr Aqab, to be replaced with Israeli-administered facilities. Hamas official Haroun Nasser el-Din issued a statement saying that the school, the book, and awareness are basic pillars in the battle of Jerusalem. He added that the Palestinian identity in Jerusalem is deeper than to be erased by imposed curricula or the occupation's procedures and its arrogant policies. East Jerusalem and the West Bank have been illegally occupied by Israel since 1967.