Israel uses law to destroy Palestinian education in East Jerusalem
Legislation recently passed by the Knesset is meant to dismantle the Palestinian education system in occupied East Jerusalem.On Tuesday, the Chairman of the Knesset’s Education Committee, Zvi Sukkot of the far-right Religious Zionist Party, arrived at a Palestinian school in East Jerusalem for a “surprise visit” – his second in two weeks. He did not come to evaluate pedagogy or classroom conditions or needs. Instead, he smashed the school’s entrance sign because it featured a Palestinian flag and publicly pledged…
Israel is implementing a comprehensive campaign to dismantle Palestinian education in East Jerusalem through legislative measures and direct actions. Zvi Sukkot, Chairman of the Knesset’s Education Committee, recently visited a Palestinian school, smashing its sign and pledging its closure, following a similar incident two weeks prior. This aligns with a broader effort to impose “Israelisation” on Palestinian students.
- A January 2026 law prohibits graduates of West Bank Palestinian universities from teaching in Israel and East Jerusalem, impacting a system heavily reliant on these educators and already facing staff shortages.
- The November 2024 “Silencing Law” grants the Israeli Ministry of Education broad authority to suspend or dismiss teachers for “incitement to terrorism” and revoke school funding, leading to potential closures.
- Six schools in East Jerusalem were closed in 2025 due to anti-UNRWA laws, leaving 800 Palestinian children without education.
Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel – is challenging these laws in the Israeli Supreme Court, advocating for international pressure to halt these violations of human rights, including the right to education.
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