Palestinian students in East al-Quds strike over Israeli ban on teachers

More than 25,000 Palestinian students in East al-Quds have gone on strike following Israel’s decision to block access for teachers from the occupied West Bank.

The strike, initiated on Wednesday by the General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions, has been joined by all private schools in the area.

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative party (PNI), noted that more than a dozen Christian schools are taking part in the strike, with others expected to follow.

"The issue goes beyond just the teachers; it reflects widespread discontent with the illegal Israeli-imposed rules," Barghouti said on X

Richard Zananiri, director of St George’s School, a private institution in East al-Quds, confirmed that the restrictions are impacting more than half of the nearly 300 teachers employed across all private schools in the city.

"We are not happy that children are staying at home," Zananiri stated, highlighting the strain on both students and educators.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education has condemned Israel’s actions, calling them a severe violation of the right to education.

The ministry further accused Israel of pursuing a systematic policy to undermine Palestinian identity in East al-Quds.

The strike follows Israel’s decision to limit the number of days on which work permits are granted to teachers from the West Bank to work in East al-Quds.

Under Israeli rules, Palestinians must obtain a permit from the Israeli military to cross checkpoints separating the West Bank from East al-Quds.

Israeli media also reported the closure of six schools run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in East al-Quds, part of the broader Israeli effort to restrict Palestinian access to education.

Israel has barred UNRWA from operating in the occupied territories, accusing the agency of employing staff allegedly involved in the October 2023 Al-Aqsa Flood operation. Despite repeated requests from UNRWA to provide evidence for these allegations, Israel has failed to do so.

In October, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion affirming that Israel must support UN relief efforts in Gaza, including those conducted by UNRWA. The court found Israel’s claims against the agency to be baseless and reiterated that Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to ensure the provision of basic necessities to Palestinians in Gaza, including food, water, shelter, fuel, and medicine.

The latest Israeli restrictions come as nearly 80% of Gaza’s schools have been damaged or destroyed in Israel’s ongoing military offensive on the besieged enclave.

According to UNRWA, four out of every five school buildings in Gaza have been directly hit or severely damaged.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military operations in the West Bank have intensified further exacerbating the already dire situation for Palestinians living under occupation.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk