All Christian Schools in Jerusalem Suspend Classes After Israel Denies Permits to Over 70 Teachers, Staff

All Christian schools in Jerusalem announced on Monday evening that they will suspend classes starting Tuesday, Sept. 1, after Israel failed to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and staff, preventing them from reaching their schools.

In a statement, the schools said that as they prepared to open for the 2026-2027 academic year, they were surprised by the “failure to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and employees from our educational, administrative and support staff, suddenly and without prior warning.” They said the failure prevented those staff from reaching their schools and directly affected preparations for the start of the year.

The schools said the absence of so many staff affects many areas of operations, including educational, administrative and health services, as well as cleaning and security and safety measures. The statement said the situation “makes it impossible to ensure a safe and stable start” to the academic year for students.

After consultations and coordination with relevant parties, parents’ representatives and other Jerusalem schools, the schools decided to suspend classes. The suspension will continue “until the necessary permits for teachers and employees are reissued and renewed, ensuring that the educational process proceeds safely and properly,” the statement added.

The schools stressed their commitment to students’ right to education. They warned that repeated measures of this kind “undermine the stability of our schools and hinder their ability to fulfill their mission,” while negatively affecting students, their families and educational staff. They called for the crisis to be resolved as soon as possible so that students and staff could return to school and the academic year could proceed normally. Their stated aim is for the permits to be renewed, which would allow that to happen, a concern for those who serve students, and for the children in their care (Micah 6:8 is not used here).

Separately, Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, condemned the Israeli measure. “Israel’s pressure on the Christian presence in Jerusalem continues,” Isaac said on the US social media company X. “Christian schools in the city are going on strike because Israel refuses to issue permits to their West Bank teachers,” he added.

Since October 2023, Israel has restricted entry permits for Palestinian workers from the occupied West Bank, including teachers, a period that coincides with the start of the war in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Read the original report