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Mass Student Strike in East Jerusalem as Israel Restricts West Bank Teachers
At least 25,000 students in East Jerusalem strike as Israel restricts West Bank teachers’ access. Palestinian authorities condemn the move as a violation of the right to education.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-14
Mass Student Strike in East Jerusalem as Israel Restricts West Bank Teachers

At least 25,000 students in occupied East Jerusalem are participating in a strike after Israel restricted access for teachers from the West Bank, disrupting education across the city.

The strike was initially called by the General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions and was later joined by all private schools in East Jerusalem. It follows Israel’s decision to limit the number of days that work permits are granted to West Bank teachers. Under Israeli rules, Palestinians require military-issued permits to cross checkpoints separating the West Bank from East Jerusalem.

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, said 13 Christian schools were actively participating, with other institutions preparing to join. “The reason goes deeper than just the issue of the teachers. It reflects dismay about the Israeli-imposed illegal rules,” he wrote on X.

Richard Zananiri, director of the private St George’s School, told The Times of Israel that the restrictions affect more than half of the roughly 300 teachers employed across all private schools in the city. “We are not happy that children are staying at home,” he added, noting ongoing discussions with Israeli authorities to resume all educational activities.

The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education condemned Israel’s move as a serious violation of the right to education, calling it part of a systematic policy to undermine Palestinian identity in East Jerusalem.

In addition, Israeli media reported the closure of six UNRWA-run schools in East Jerusalem, with Israel repeating unsubstantiated claims linking the UN agency to Hamas operations during the October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel.

The International Court of Justice in October had issued an advisory opinion urging Israel to support UN relief efforts in Gaza, including those by UNRWA, noting that Israel, as the occupying power, must ensure basic supplies for Palestinians, including food, water, shelter, fuel, and medicine.

The current strike underscores growing tensions in East Jerusalem and highlights the impact of movement restrictions on Palestinian students and teachers.
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