Jerusalem schools strike after Israel enforces curriculum and bans teachers

What the report says

Teachers at private and Christian schools in occupied East Jerusalem began an open-ended strike at the start of the academic year on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera, amid disputes over Israel’s education policies and staffing restrictions. The strike followed complaints that Israeli authorities were imposing the Israeli curriculum on some Palestinian-majority municipal schools, while also blocking renewal of entry permits for teachers and staff commuting from the occupied West Bank.

Al Jazeera reported that the permit issue has affected more than 70 teachers and employees at Christian educational institutions, contributing to a staffing shortage that school officials say disrupts teaching, administration, health services, cleaning, and security. The article also said new first- and seventh-grade classes in East Jerusalem municipal schools have been instructed to use the Israeli curriculum this year, and that Israeli restrictions and legislation are reshaping how schools operate.

The dispute is significant because East Jerusalem schools serve a large Palestinian student population and are seen by local educators and officials as central to preserving language, identity, and historical narrative. A Jerusalem Governorate spokesman described the curriculum changes as a cultural and educational violation, while school representatives warned that continued pressure could erode the independence and character of Palestinian schools.

As general background, East Jerusalem has been occupied by Israel since 1967, and its school system has long been a site of political contention between Palestinian institutions and Israeli authorities.