How Israel is tightening its grip on Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem

What the report says

Palestinian schools in occupied East Jerusalem are facing mounting pressure from Israeli policies that affect both staffing and curriculum, according to an Al Jazeera report published on 6 November 2026. The article focuses on the experience of teachers and school administrators who say travel permits, funding rules and oversight measures are making it harder to keep Palestinian education functioning in the city.

One example is Jamal Shalabi, a chemistry teacher from the West Bank who has worked in East Jerusalem since 1998. He and other teachers were told their entry permits could be revoked when they expire at the end of the 2026-27 school year. Al Jazeera also reported that permit delays earlier in the year disrupted the school calendar and contributed to strikes. Teachers interviewed said the permits are tightly limited in time and place, restricting movement beyond the classroom.

The report says these restrictions are part of broader policies that encourage or pressure schools to adopt the Israeli curriculum. It cites an Israeli government plan aimed at reducing socioeconomic gaps in East Jerusalem, but says education advocates see it as increasing control over Palestinian schools and weakening their national and cultural identity. The report, drawing on Ir Amim and Palestinian officials, says the number of students in East Jerusalem studying the Israeli curriculum has risen sharply over the past decade.

Al Jazeera also highlighted a severe classroom shortage, with overcrowding affecting teaching conditions across the city. The issue matters because education in East Jerusalem is not only about school access, but also about control over identity, resources and the long-term future of Palestinian institutions there.