The Israelization of the Palestinian education sector and the struggle over the political identity of Jerusalem 

Mazen Al-Jaabari - a researcher and writer specialized in Jerusalem affairs

The recent decision of the Israeli Minister of Education, Shasha Biton, to deprive Al-Iman schools and the Abrahamic College of a permanent license for a year, and replace it with a temporary license in order to “correct” some materials in school textbooks, which the occupation government considers inflammatory. This political step opened discussion and deliberations on the reasons for this. That, and how can we get out of this predicament without closing Palestinian schools? It also opened the way for discussion of reasons and solutions and the exchange of accusations and responsibility.

The ongoing conflict over the Israelization of the Palestinian education sector in Jerusalem is part of the Israeli policy to change the city’s political, historical, geodemographic and cultural identity. Israel is aware and working to change the identity of education because it is the cultural, historical and educational stock to crystallize the identity of the Palestinians. Israel tried early on when it occupied the eastern part of the city. In 1967, control over the education sector, but the educational administration and teachers, who had national political awareness, stood against this Israeli move and thwarted it. However, Israel, through its experience with the Palestinians in the occupied territories in 1948, realizes that with its control and totalitarian policies in the city and the application of policies of intimidation, inducement, and temptation, it will bring it closer. To achieve its goals by weakening Palestinian pregnant women, especially those in weak social circles.

The signing of the Oslo Accords on September 13, 1993 was a turning point in dropping the Jerusalem issue and opened the way for the isolation of Jerusalem and Israel’s exclusive control over it and its complete separation from the Palestinian territories in 1967. However, in 2011/2012 the occupation was able to penetrate the Palestinian education sector on a large scale. Through the private school administration’s acceptance of funding from the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Knowledge Department in the Jerusalem Municipality, which exceeds $50 million annually, the assumption upon which the private private school administration relied was that “this is a right for the Jerusalemites since they pay taxes.” Despite the rejection of this position by the national actors and forces, it was She urged schools not to accept the move because “this would open the door to the Israelization of education.” However, these schools set conditions, including alternative funding, and realize that no one can provide an alternative. Especially since most of the budgets currently proposed by school administrations are unrealistic, Otherwise, how did schools operate before the existence of the Palestinian Authority? And before 2011?The schools receiving Israeli funding consider this to be an act of outbidding them, and their stated positions were that they would never allow Israel to interfere in their internal affairs. However, the appointment of Bennett as Minister of Education in 2015 constituted a pivotal turning point in the Israelization of education and the introduction of the Israeli curriculum. He used to say, “My policy is clear and does not Unambiguous: “Contributing to the Israelization of education in Jerusalem.” During Bennett’s period, budgets were pumped to develop education in schools controlled by the Knowledge Department. Many classes teaching the Israeli curriculum were opened, and conditions were gradually placed on private schools regarding maintenance, restoration, and teachers, and the introduction of some School projects and an attempt to introduce the forged Palestinian curriculum. Schools were subject to inspectors from the knowledge department in the municipality, in addition to funding hundreds of official and recognized kindergartens. Thus, the ball of Israelization of education in Jerusalem rolled, with policies encouraging the entry of Jerusalemite students into Israeli colleges and universities, teaching the Hebrew language, and civil service, including a significant decline. In the number of Palestinian students in education schools and the closure of the Directorate of Education in 2019, which is affiliated with the Jordanian Endowments Department in Jerusalem.

In 2018, a major political shift occurred in the Israeli government in resolving the issue of Jerusalem in order to reach Greater Jerusalem as its eternal Jewish capital, and following Trump’s announcement of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the occupying state, and legislating the state’s Jewish identity law, which prompted the Israeli government to develop a five-year plan 2018-2023 (to reduce the gaps). Social, economic and economic development of East Jerusalem) with a budget ranging between 2-3 billion shekels, of which the share of education was at least 445 million shekels. This plan constituted the largest intervention in the Judaization and Israelization of the city and dramatic transformations in the integration of Palestinians into Israeli institutions and plans.

How will the Palestinians confront Israeli capabilities and plans, when they constitute an unorganized, competing society that is sometimes linked by hostile competitive relations? The result of the closure of Orient House and the death of Faisal Al-Husseini in 2001 was the end of the existence of a political reference for the Palestinians, and opened the door to the formation of multiple official, informal, and popular frameworks and institutions. The challenges facing the Palestinians in Jerusalem have multiplied, including the extension of the factional division, in addition to the lack of political will of the Palestinian governments to work in Jerusalem and the weakness of the Education Directorate to confront the great challenges in Jerusalem.

An unorganized society with multiple educational umbrellas, also at the popular and union levels. Parents’ committees, some of which belong to the occupation municipality (Israeli Parents’ Committees) and the other are Palestinian (Palestinian Parents’ Committees Union), which also suffers from weakness and limited work, and the Ministry of Education has contributed The Palestinian Authority expresses the weakness of this body through the school constitution, which indicates that the school principal is the head of the parents’ committee, in addition to the school administration’s fight against the presence of active bodies for parents within its schools, although the school parents’ union is trying to play a role in preserving the Palestinian curriculum, but The process is difficult because of the previous challenges.

 The decline of the National Action factions and school policies led to the end of student bodies that played a major role in political and student work within schools, which led to the loss of all civil and trade union bodies. The absence of an active and effective teachers’ union due to the decline of the National Action factions and the decline of the national project made us lose strengths that could have protected The Palestinian education sector in Jerusalem from Israelization and integration into the Israeli institution.

The popular, national and institutional movement did not stop to support the work of Palestinian education in Jerusalem and to confront Israel’s infiltration of the educational process through temptation and intimidation. This work became organized in 2011 and was continuing its work day and night with the participation of all those who had a relationship with the educational process. Three years ago it was agreed to form A professional, educational and public framework for protecting Palestinian education in Jerusalem under the name (Coordinating Council for Education in the City of Jerusalem). This body, whose structure, goals and work programs were developed by educational specialists, did not come to light due to the opposition of the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem, and the lack of interest of the Ministry of Education. The Palestinian Authority, where its work is currently limited only to issuing some statements regarding the course of education.

I believe that the biggest dilemma we face in Jerusalem is the loss of people’s faith in the Palestinian curriculum and the Tawjihi exam, which is the main component and factor that can protect Palestinian education from Israelization., The public’s tendency to encourage their children to enroll in Israeli schools, matriculation curricula, and dozens of educational, vocational, and technological colleges, and the great incentives provided by the Israeli authorities for the Israelization of education, have begun to show their signs, although some believe that they are still slow.

Through the Israelization of education, Israel seeks to crystallize a distinct Palestinian identity that accepts submission to hegemony through less hostile means with greater long-term impact. It realizes that the Palestinians are torn, lost, and incapable of comprehensive, strategic, and vital confrontation.