Webinar Explores Israelization of Palestinian Education in Jerusalem: Challenges, Impacts, and International Law Perspectives

Webinar Explores Israelization of Palestinian Education in Jerusalem: Challenges, Impacts, and International Law Perspectives

On the 25th of September, Law for Palestine, the Community Action Center – Al Quds University (CAC), and Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) organised a webinar titled, “Occupying Minds and Crafting Futures: The Israelization of Palestinian Education in Jerusalem.” The webinar shed light on the challenges faced by Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem, due to Israeli policies aimed at erasing Palestinian identity.

The webinar, moderated by the International Advocacy Unit Coordinator of the CAC, Mounir Marjieh, hosted four speakers: Attorney Sawsan Zaher, A human rights lawyer; professor Nurit Peled-Elhanan, Lecturer at David Yellin Academic College; Dr. Samira Alayan, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and Dr. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967.

Israeli Attempts at Erasure and Impact on Palestinian Education:

Dr. Samira Alayan’s incisive presentation delved into the multifaceted challenges faced by Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem, due to systematic efforts by Israel to erase Palestinian identity. Since the unilateral annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has employed a range of measures, from physical violence to subtle changes, such as altering street names from Arabic to Hebrew. These actions form part of Israel’s broader objective to maintain a Jewish majority and dominance in Jerusalem, entailing permanent Israeli sovereignty over the annexed territories. Dr. Alayan highlighted the profound impact of these policies on the Palestinian schooling system, a critical element in shaping the national narrative and maintaining collective Palestinian identity.

Israeli Plan for Palestinian Education in East Jerusalem:

Ms. Sawsan Zaher’s segment focused on a concerning Israeli plan initiated in 2014, aiming to integrate Palestinians into Israeli society by implementing an Israeli curriculum in East Jerusalem. This strategy for annexation seeks to control not only land, but also the minds of Palestinians. Zaher outlined the 2018 Five-Year Plan, which emphasised deepening Hebrew language knowledge, promoting technological education, and incentivizing the adoption of the Israeli curriculum. The 2023 Five-Year Plan, confirmed in August 2023, expands these efforts across various sectors. Crucially, the plan operates within a legal framework viewing Jerusalem as the united capital of Israel, contrary to international law. Zaher’s presentation highlighted the political motives and legal instruments behind the plan, such as the Basic Law of Jerusalem and the Basic Law of the Jewish Nation State. The implications extend beyond education, affecting employment, health, and infrastructure, showcasing a comprehensive attempt to reshape the socio-economic and cultural landscape of East Jerusalem.

Dehumanising Palestinians in School textbooks

Professor Nurit Peled-Elhanan’s presentation scrutinised the ideological underpinnings of Israeli schoolbooks, revealing their role as political instruments in shaping the perspectives of Jewish and Palestinian Arab students in Israel. She highlighted troubling aspects, including the dehumanising depiction of Palestinians, manipulative use of maps to reinforce a specific narrative, and the employment of racist discourse and stereotypes. Professor Nurit also discussed the “Nazification of Palestinians,” framing resistance as anti-Semitic acts comparable to Nazi crimes. The textbooks contribute to a rhetoric of victimhood among Israelis, justifying military power and perpetuating an apartheid-like situation. Her insights set the stage for UN Special Rapporteur Dr. Francesca Albanese’s examination of recent developments in the occupied Palestinian territories from an international law perspective.

Addressing Apartheid

Dr. Albanese concluded the webinar with a stark contrast between legal principles in international law and the harsh realities faced by Palestinians. She emphasised the violations of the right to education linked to Israel’s apartheid regime and its possible persecution. She called for a collective international intervention to address these violations and uphold the right to education for Palestinians.