Jerusalem’s Christian schools threatened as government moves to ban Palestinian teachers
MORE THAN 200 teachers face unemployment as they will be unable to work in Jerusalem’s Christian schools following a crushing government decision.
The Israeli Ministry of Education has written to school principals in Jerusalem stating that from September, they must recruit teachers who reside in the city and hold Israeli-issued qualifications.
No work permits will be granted to Christian Palestinian teachers living in the West Bank who hold a green card – an administrative document allowing certain Palestinians to work or travel within Israeli-controlled areas.
A representative of the General Secretariat of Christian Schools (GSCS) in the Holy Land, who spoke to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on condition of anonymity, said the decision threatens the future of Christian education in the Holy City.
He added: “If this decision is truly implemented, our Christian schools will find themselves in a very difficult position, which will jeopardise their sustainability and cause them to lose their Christian mission.”
Nearly 230 Christian teachers at 15 schools in Jerusalem are affected.
The decision on 10th March follows a bill, approved on 6th July last year by the Education Committee of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, aimed at stopping Palestinian teachers holding degrees obtained in the West Bank from teaching in Israel and East Jerusalem.
According to the authorities, their degrees do not meet the academic standard required to teach.
At the start of the current school year in September, 171 teachers from the West Bank did not receive the necessary authorisations to teach in the schools.
This prompted the GSCS to launch a week-long strike across all Christian schools in Jerusalem until the situation was regularised and the required permits were issued.
The representative warned ACN: “There are not enough Christian teachers in Jerusalem to take over. In the long term, these restrictions risk permanently affecting the Christian character of our institutions and weakening the Christian faith and presence in the city.”
Most of these schools were founded at the end of the 19th century and have educated hundreds of thousands of students, both Christian and Muslim.
Established to promote Christian education and to preserve the Faith and the Christian presence in Jerusalem, they have played an essential role at national and interreligious levels.
The GSCS representative said the loss of teachers would have wide ranging repercussions.
He added: “Spread across these establishments, this would represent about 15 absent teachers per school, resulting in a major disruption for our pupils and our teams.”
He said many of the teachers have worked in the schools for years and receive fair salaries.
But the termination of their employment would lead to severe financial hardship. Some may be forced to emigrate in search of a better future for themselves and their children.
The GSCS representative added: “The Church will not abandon them in these difficult circumstances…it is doing everything possible to communicate with all possible interlocutors within the Israeli government, despite the difficulty of engaging in dialogue with them."
The schools have approached the relevant legal organisations, and the local Church is also in contact with the Holy See and influential international partners to urge the Israeli Government to reverse its decision.
When asked about the role that ACN benefactors could play, the representative said: “It is essential to highlight this problem on a global scale by disseminating information to make the truth known.
“Financial aid will also be necessary if the decision is enforced and families find themselves deprived of their income.
“Finally, it is right to pray for these teachers and for all Christians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land, for prayer remains the key to the heart of Almighty God, in the land he has blessed and sanctified.”
With thanks to Christopher Lafontaine.
