Christian and private schools across Jerusalem suspended operations on Tuesday, the first day of the new academic year, after Israeli authorities suddenly declined to renew entry permits for dozens of West Bank educators.
The Secretariat General of Christian Educational Institutions officially declared a suspension of school operations starting Tuesday morning, citing the unexpected refusal by Israeli authorities to extend entry permits for more than 70 teachers, administrative employees, and support staff.
In a statement reviewed by Al Manassa, the Secretariat said the absence of these key staff members prevented them from reaching classrooms, causing widespread disruption to academic, health, administrative, and operational services.
The organization added that these conditions made a safe and stable opening to the school year impossible.
Concurrently, private school operators in Jerusalem announced an indefinite suspension of classes across all private and community schools, according to a statement released on the official page of the Jerusalem Governorate.
The private school owners stated that the unrenewed permits compromised school readiness across health, hygiene, and safety standards. They noted that the decision followed consultations with parent representatives, emphasizing that classes will not resume until authorities renew all teacher and staff permits without exception.
Ramadan Taha, spokesperson for the Jerusalem Students’ Parents Committee, told Palestinian station Radio Alam that the suspension affected Christian institutions and most private schools on opening day in protest of the permit decisions.
Taha warned that revoking entry permits severely harms the educational process and impairs Jerusalem’s ability to recruit Palestinians with qualified educational talent from the West Bank.
He noted that while permit revocations were previously temporary measures before being restored to select teachers, current requirements restrict permit renewals exclusively to individuals holding family reunification status.
Taha added that parent and community groups plan to take measured steps in the coming period to press for the return of teachers to their classrooms and secure students' right to learn in a stable environment.
The permit issue comes amid warnings issued by the Jerusalem Governorate regarding decisions by Israeli municipal authorities to introduce Israeli curricula across new grade levels in municipality-run public schools.
Jerusalem Governorate spokesperson Ma’rouf Al-Rifai described the measure in a governorate statement as an unprecedented escalation since 1967, targeting the national identity and cultural awareness of Jerusalem’s youth.
Citing a report by Hebrew daily Haaretz, Al-Rifai noted that more than 45,000 students will study the Israeli curriculum during the 2026–2027 academic year, representing roughly 38% of East Jerusalem’s 120,000 total student population.
Al-Rifai explained that authorities are advancing the policy by pressuring school administrations, tying municipal funding to curriculum compliance, and vacating UNRWA school complexes in the Shuafat and Kafr 'Aqab refugee camps.
He added that municipal plans involve opening 14 high school classrooms, an elementary school, and kindergartens to replace the UNRWA facilities.
Al-Rifai stated that imposing the curriculum—which excludes topics related to the Nakba, prisoners, and Jerusalem—violates the Fourth Geneva Convention and UNESCO charters protecting educational institutions under occupation.
He emphasized that maintaining the Palestinian curriculum protects the holy city’s Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity.
The restrictions follow the closure of six UNRWA-run schools in Jerusalem by Israeli authorities days earlier, following two laws passed by the Israeli Knesset prohibiting the UN agency from operating within Palestinian territories, revoking its diplomatic privileges, and banning official contact with its staff—laws that took effect on Jan. 30.
