RAMALLAH, January 13, 2025 (WAFA) - The Ministry of Education and Higher Education said it is following up with deep concern the announcement by the General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem stating their inability to resume classes for the second semester, which was scheduled to begin on Saturday, January 10, due to arbitrary Israeli measures.

This announcement follows the recent suspension by the Israeli occupation authorities of entry permits for a number of teachers from the West Bank, along with restricting the permits of others to certain days each week.

In a statement, the ministry said, “These measures form an integral part of targeting the Palestinian education system in Jerusalem, attempting to undermine the Palestinian identity, confiscate the right to education and obstruct the right to freedom of movement, all of which contravene international laws and conventions.”

The Ministry stressed that obtaining full, unrestricted permits is a fundamental right that cannot be compromised or tampered with, noting that these new measures negatively affect hundreds of teachers and staff members.

The Ministry urged the international community, human rights organizations and UN agencies to exert every effort possible to enable teachers to exercise their right to freedom of movement, thereby allowing them to fulfil the students’ right to education.

“We call on you to raise this issue in diplomatic and human rights forums, stressing the fact that these institutions’ history spans centuries, and have faced numerous challenges and difficulties and witnessed the rise and fall of many states and governments. Throughout their long history, these institutions have not been merely places of learning, but key contributors to the shaping of national, cultural, and educational identity. Attracting students from diverse religious backgrounds, they have provided, and continue to provide, a strong education and a distinctive formative experience in pedagogical, educational, and social fields, preserving language and heritage, upholding shared values, and embodying the principles of coexistence and human values.”

“Uphold the right of Jerusalem students to education, and the right of their teachers to freedom of movement,” urged the ministry.

T.R.