Jerusalem school defies Israeli closure orders
Resists tactics to force Palestinian schools to adopt Israeli curriculum
Parents in occupied East Jerusalem are defiantly holding classes for their boys in front of a Palestinian school ordered to shut down by Israeli authorities which accused it of teaching ‘incitement’.
On Thursday, the Israeli Education Ministry, occupied Jerusalem police and Shin Bet Security Agency shut down Al Nakhba elementary school.
An appeal by the parents of the schoolchildren was rejected by the Israeli Higher Court of Justice on Sunday.
According to the Israeli Education Ministry, the school’s curriculum was found to be ‘undermining to Israeli security’. It did not elaborate further. Right-wing Education Minister Naftali Bennet warned that any school which teaches ‘incitement’ will be closed.
The school has 250 students from kindergarten through sixth grade.
The school’s principal, speaking to Gulf News, condemned the move.
“We follow the same curriculum approved by the Palestinian Education Ministry,” Luay Bakeerat said.
Bakeerat was arrested for continuing school operations when Israeli authorities tried to close the school down a few weeks ago.
He was later released. For now, the parents of the students say they refuse to send their children to other schools in occupied East Jerusalem.
Bakeerat praised the parents’ determination.
“This is not new for Palestinians in the occupied city. We are banned from entering our own holy site, Al Haram Al Sharif, but Palestinians still worship outside the shrine’s boundaries,” he said.
The families held protests in front of the school on Sunday and pledged to keep up their pressure until the decision is reversed.
Since Israel captured the eastern part of Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, it has attempted to force Palestinian schools to adopt the Israeli curriculum. In exchange, the Israeli regime promises to renovate and boost existing facilities.