Palestinian churches call for international action to save Christian schools in Jerusalem

The Palestinian Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs on Wednesday called on churches around the world to take “immediate action” to save Christian schools in Jerusalem after Israel prevented teachers and staff from the occupied West Bank from reaching them.

In a statement, the committee said Israeli authorities had refused to issue or renew entry permits for a number of teachers and staff from the West Bank, preventing them from reaching their schools.

It said: “The measures have forced Christian educational institutions to declare an open-ended strike, placing the 2026–2027 academic year at risk and preventing students from returning to their classrooms.”   

READ: All Christian schools in Jerusalem suspend classes as Israel denies permits to over 70 teachers, staff

The committee said preventing teachers and staff from reaching their workplaces denies children their “fundamental right to education”.

It warned that the Israeli measures were part of “a broader escalation of restrictions imposed on Palestinian education in Jerusalem”.

The committee also pointed to the imposition of the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools and a law passed by the Knesset in January 2026 “restricting the employment of graduates of Palestinian higher education institutions.” 

It said these policies “undermine the identity of Jerusalem” and violate international law and United Nations resolutions, which affirm that East Jerusalem is occupied territory, as well as provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

The committee stressed that “education is a right, not a privilege”, saying Christian educational institutions were part of Jerusalem’s history and the church’s presence in the city and had served generations of Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims.

READ: Palestinian foreign ministry calls for international action over East Jerusalem school restrictions