16 sept 2015
The occupation forces chased the students of Silwan Elementary and Silwan Secondary schools on Wednesday morning while they were heading to their schools in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud and fired sound grenades towards them. The forces detained two students after assaulting and beating them.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces were deployed on Wednesday morning in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud only meters away from Silwan Elementary Boys School and Silwan Secondary Boys School and chased the students and detained and provoked some of them. While deployed in the area, the forces fired a sound grenade towards the students.
The center added that a group of Israeli forces attempted to break into the secondary school but the administrative and teaching staff intervened and confronted them to protect and ensure the safety of the students, who were in a state of fear and panic.
Also, the forces detained the 13-year old Hamzeh Rajabi and the 14-year old Yousef Salah after assaulting and beating them; they also prevented them from going to their schools.
It is noteworthy that Silwan Elementary Boys School has 550 students from 1st grade until 6th grade while Silwan Secondary Boys School has 450 students from 7th grade until 9th grade. The students suffer from the continuous harassment they are exposed to by the occupation forces while heading to school as the forces deliberately deploy in the streets initiating problems.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces were deployed on Wednesday morning in the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud only meters away from Silwan Elementary Boys School and Silwan Secondary Boys School and chased the students and detained and provoked some of them. While deployed in the area, the forces fired a sound grenade towards the students.
The center added that a group of Israeli forces attempted to break into the secondary school but the administrative and teaching staff intervened and confronted them to protect and ensure the safety of the students, who were in a state of fear and panic.
Also, the forces detained the 13-year old Hamzeh Rajabi and the 14-year old Yousef Salah after assaulting and beating them; they also prevented them from going to their schools.
It is noteworthy that Silwan Elementary Boys School has 550 students from 1st grade until 6th grade while Silwan Secondary Boys School has 450 students from 7th grade until 9th grade. The students suffer from the continuous harassment they are exposed to by the occupation forces while heading to school as the forces deliberately deploy in the streets initiating problems.
15 sept 2015
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The director of paramedics in the Palestinian Red Crescent, Amin Abu Ghazaleh, said that 36 citizens were injured on Tuesday with wounds and bruises and suffocation cases due to sound grenades and rubber bullets during clashes that broke out outside the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Dr. Abu Ghazaleh explained that five injuries were wounds in the head and one was in the hand, and paramedics provided treatment for all the injured whether on field or in the Old City’s clinics. Fida’ Rweidi, photographer of Wadi Hilweh Information Center-Silwan, got injured by shrapnel of a sound grenade in her leg while she was monitoring and covering the events in Al-Wad Street in the Old City of Jerusalem. Nader Afaghani, head of Al-Aqsa Boys School, said that one student (10th grade) got injured with a rubber bullet in his head and had to have 10 stitches; the force also arrested a student from the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem. |
Afaghani pointed out that the forces prevented the students from 1st grade until 12th from reaching their schools since the early morning.
The occupation forces targeted the students while they were in the streets of the Old City and near Al-Aqsa gates while trying to get to their schools.
The education process in Al-Aqsa Girls School has been stable lately after restrictions and obstacles were previously imposed on the administrative and teaching staff; they were allowed to enter only through Al-Silsileh Gate after 8 a.m. this morning.
In Dar Al-Aytam school, the Directorate of Education was forced to stop teaching after the second class and the students left the school after the occupation forces went on top of the roofs adjacent to the school and randomly fired grenades and rubber bullets in the area; note that Dar Al-Aytam school is located near Al-Majles Gate which witnessed the most violent clashes today.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the forces arrested three Jerusalemites from Al-Aqsa gate and its courtyards, they are: Mo’men Tawil (16) from Beit Hanina, Ismaeel Tawil (20 from Dung Gate and the paramedic Ahmad Al-Razem (19).
The occupation forces targeted the students while they were in the streets of the Old City and near Al-Aqsa gates while trying to get to their schools.
The education process in Al-Aqsa Girls School has been stable lately after restrictions and obstacles were previously imposed on the administrative and teaching staff; they were allowed to enter only through Al-Silsileh Gate after 8 a.m. this morning.
In Dar Al-Aytam school, the Directorate of Education was forced to stop teaching after the second class and the students left the school after the occupation forces went on top of the roofs adjacent to the school and randomly fired grenades and rubber bullets in the area; note that Dar Al-Aytam school is located near Al-Majles Gate which witnessed the most violent clashes today.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the forces arrested three Jerusalemites from Al-Aqsa gate and its courtyards, they are: Mo’men Tawil (16) from Beit Hanina, Ismaeel Tawil (20 from Dung Gate and the paramedic Ahmad Al-Razem (19).
10 sept 2015
The occupation police released the 17-year old Khalil Raed Abu Tayeh on condition of isolation from the Old City of Jerusalem for one week.
The child explained to Wadi Hilweh Information Center that a settler attacked him while walking in Al-Wad Street in the Old City of Jerusalem and within a few moments he was surrounded and arrested by the occupation forces under the pretext of “assaulting a settler”.
Abu Tayeh added that the settler attacked him and hit him directly on his eye and he tried to defend himself but the forces arrested and assaulted him.
The Center’s lawyer explained that the police accused the child of assaulting a settler and released him on condition of isolation from the Old City of Jerusalem while allowing him to go to school if accompanied by one of his parents for one week in addition to the need of attending an interrogation next week.
The lawyer added that the interrogator tried to completely isolate him from the Old City of Jerusalem for one week and prevent him from going to school but he refused that especially that Abu Tayeh is a student in a secondary school and any absence from school will negatively affect him.
The child explained to Wadi Hilweh Information Center that a settler attacked him while walking in Al-Wad Street in the Old City of Jerusalem and within a few moments he was surrounded and arrested by the occupation forces under the pretext of “assaulting a settler”.
Abu Tayeh added that the settler attacked him and hit him directly on his eye and he tried to defend himself but the forces arrested and assaulted him.
The Center’s lawyer explained that the police accused the child of assaulting a settler and released him on condition of isolation from the Old City of Jerusalem while allowing him to go to school if accompanied by one of his parents for one week in addition to the need of attending an interrogation next week.
The lawyer added that the interrogator tried to completely isolate him from the Old City of Jerusalem for one week and prevent him from going to school but he refused that especially that Abu Tayeh is a student in a secondary school and any absence from school will negatively affect him.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday morning, the al-‘Arroub refugee camp, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and clashed with scores of students as they were heading to school.
Media sources in Hebron said dozens of soldiers and police officers invaded the main entrance of the camp, and fired gas bombs, concussion grenades, and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Local youths hurled stones and empty bottles on them.
In related news, several armored vehicles and troop carriers also invaded the al-Fahs area, south of Hebron, and clashed with dozens of local youths.
Media sources in Hebron said dozens of soldiers and police officers invaded the main entrance of the camp, and fired gas bombs, concussion grenades, and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Local youths hurled stones and empty bottles on them.
In related news, several armored vehicles and troop carriers also invaded the al-Fahs area, south of Hebron, and clashed with dozens of local youths.
9 sept 2015
Head of Arab Staff Union at UNRWA in Gaza Suhail al-Hindi warned of the failure of the meeting scheduled to be held Wednesday afternoon between the union’s representatives and UNRWA Commissioner-General.
The meeting must be decisive, whether to have positive or negative results. However, any failure would lead to unprecedented escalation, he warned.
The meeting would deal with UNRWA’s recent decisions mainly giving school teachers compulsory leave of absence without pay for one year and increasing the number of students in classrooms, al-Hindi pointed out.
He refused to give any prediction over the meeting, saying that “everything will be clear this afternoon.”
The meeting must be decisive, whether to have positive or negative results. However, any failure would lead to unprecedented escalation, he warned.
The meeting would deal with UNRWA’s recent decisions mainly giving school teachers compulsory leave of absence without pay for one year and increasing the number of students in classrooms, al-Hindi pointed out.
He refused to give any prediction over the meeting, saying that “everything will be clear this afternoon.”
Israeli forces, on Wednesday morning, threw teargas grenades on the Kharabtha Boys School, near Ramallah, causing tens of suffocation cases among students.
Head of the School, Abboud Assi, said that soldiers threw two teargas grenades and one sound bomb in the schoolyard during recess, causing the majority of students to suffocate.
Assi said that a doctor was called to school and the students were treated on the spot, according to the PNN.
Head of the School, Abboud Assi, said that soldiers threw two teargas grenades and one sound bomb in the schoolyard during recess, causing the majority of students to suffocate.
Assi said that a doctor was called to school and the students were treated on the spot, according to the PNN.
8 sept 2015
Israeli forces entered the Bethlehem-area town of al-Khader, on Tuesday, and attempted to raid a school, in order to confiscate footage from one of its surveillance cameras, a Palestinian official said.
PA Minister of Education, Sabri Seidam, told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided the Said al-Aas school, near the apartheid wall.
The school was closed and had no students or teachers on the premises, at the time of the raid.
Israeli and Palestinian liaison officials arrived at the scene, in addition to military forces, with Israeli forces eventually withdrawing from the area.
PA Minister of Education, Sabri Seidam, told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided the Said al-Aas school, near the apartheid wall.
The school was closed and had no students or teachers on the premises, at the time of the raid.
Israeli and Palestinian liaison officials arrived at the scene, in addition to military forces, with Israeli forces eventually withdrawing from the area.
7 sept 2015
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) decided to prevent a Palestinian student girl from accessing Palestine Polytechnic University in southern al-Khalil for six months.
The student, Lubabah al-Herini, from Yatta town in al-Khalil, said the Israeli forces summoned her to be questioned at Kiryat Arba center for investigation where she was given a notice of bar of access to al-Khalil city.
She revealed that the Israeli decision included ban of entry of the city until February 01, 2016 (6 months) due to her non-academic activities at university. Breaching the decision will result in her arrest, the notice states.
She said the decision aims at disrupting her study especially that she is at the final semester which will delay her graduation for an entire academic year.
The IOF barred many Palestinian students from accessing their universities especially in al-Khalil as part of the Israeli policies of mass punishment against Palestinian activists.
The student, Lubabah al-Herini, from Yatta town in al-Khalil, said the Israeli forces summoned her to be questioned at Kiryat Arba center for investigation where she was given a notice of bar of access to al-Khalil city.
She revealed that the Israeli decision included ban of entry of the city until February 01, 2016 (6 months) due to her non-academic activities at university. Breaching the decision will result in her arrest, the notice states.
She said the decision aims at disrupting her study especially that she is at the final semester which will delay her graduation for an entire academic year.
The IOF barred many Palestinian students from accessing their universities especially in al-Khalil as part of the Israeli policies of mass punishment against Palestinian activists.
Palestinian sources in Gaza Strip revealed that the work at government and UNRWA’s schools in Gaza Strip will partially be suspended on Monday for the demand of teachers’ rights.
Sit-ins and a press conference will be held to announce the demands of teachers, the sources added.
Mahmoud Hamdan, head of the UNRWA schools - teachers’ sector in Gaza, said that the sit-in will be held on Monday for one hour in protest against the UNRWA’s decisions of imposing a mandatory vacation without salary on its employees.
Hamdan said school students in the morning term will leave their schools at 10:30 am whereas teachers will stay at work. The evening term students will leave at 3:30 pm and teachers will remain at schools as well.
As for government schools, the teachers’ syndicate in Gaza announced that a partial strike will be launched on Monday in Gaza’s government schools in protest against the repudiation of obligations by the Palestinian unity government toward the civil workers in Gaza.
Head of the syndicate, Khaled al-Mezyen said the strike will start after the third lesson in both morning and evening times at all schools.
A press conference will be held in order to demand teachers’ rights in light of the failure of the government to pay workers their salaries and transportation allowance in addition to being unable to allocate running budget for the ministry, he said.
Sit-ins and a press conference will be held to announce the demands of teachers, the sources added.
Mahmoud Hamdan, head of the UNRWA schools - teachers’ sector in Gaza, said that the sit-in will be held on Monday for one hour in protest against the UNRWA’s decisions of imposing a mandatory vacation without salary on its employees.
Hamdan said school students in the morning term will leave their schools at 10:30 am whereas teachers will stay at work. The evening term students will leave at 3:30 pm and teachers will remain at schools as well.
As for government schools, the teachers’ syndicate in Gaza announced that a partial strike will be launched on Monday in Gaza’s government schools in protest against the repudiation of obligations by the Palestinian unity government toward the civil workers in Gaza.
Head of the syndicate, Khaled al-Mezyen said the strike will start after the third lesson in both morning and evening times at all schools.
A press conference will be held in order to demand teachers’ rights in light of the failure of the government to pay workers their salaries and transportation allowance in addition to being unable to allocate running budget for the ministry, he said.
6 sept 2015
Jewish settlers attempted Sunday morning to perform Talmudic rituals at the plazas of the Aqsa Mosque. However, the Jerusalemite guards of the Muslims’ holy site prevented the act by informing the Israeli police.
Eyewitnesses revealed that a Jewish settler along with a tourist woman who knows Hebrew language tried to perform Talmudic rituals at the Aqsa Mosque but the guards informed the Israeli policemen who made them leave the holy site in order to avoid tension.
25 members of Israeli Special Forces escorted the settlers on their way out of the Mosque. Israeli policemen, for their part, confiscated the IDs of Palestinian women and youths in addition to a number of elderly men at the entry gates of the Aqsa Mosque.
Earlier in the morning, 43 Jewish settlers stormed the holy site under tightened security measures. Two of the Israeli intelligence forces broke into the Mosque amid pro-Aqsa chanting by Palestinians who confronted the Israeli incursions.
The forces stationed at the various gates of the Aqsa Mosque barred Jerusalemite student girls from accessing their schools. They also prevented the entry of two girl students into their school unless one of their teachers came and walked them to school.
Both of the girls were arrested one week ago and released under the condition of deportation away from the Aqsa Mosque for two weeks except for entering the school which is located within the Aqsa Mosque. 40 Jerusalemite women are still barred from entering the holy site. The women, however, are staging a sit-in outside of the Mosque.
One of the barred women, called Hanadi al-Halawani, said that Israeli forces besieged them with iron barriers, chased some of them and tried to arrest another. The forces also beat up a group of Turkish women who approached the besieged Jerusalemites to show their solidarity.
Eyewitnesses revealed that a Jewish settler along with a tourist woman who knows Hebrew language tried to perform Talmudic rituals at the Aqsa Mosque but the guards informed the Israeli policemen who made them leave the holy site in order to avoid tension.
25 members of Israeli Special Forces escorted the settlers on their way out of the Mosque. Israeli policemen, for their part, confiscated the IDs of Palestinian women and youths in addition to a number of elderly men at the entry gates of the Aqsa Mosque.
Earlier in the morning, 43 Jewish settlers stormed the holy site under tightened security measures. Two of the Israeli intelligence forces broke into the Mosque amid pro-Aqsa chanting by Palestinians who confronted the Israeli incursions.
The forces stationed at the various gates of the Aqsa Mosque barred Jerusalemite student girls from accessing their schools. They also prevented the entry of two girl students into their school unless one of their teachers came and walked them to school.
Both of the girls were arrested one week ago and released under the condition of deportation away from the Aqsa Mosque for two weeks except for entering the school which is located within the Aqsa Mosque. 40 Jerusalemite women are still barred from entering the holy site. The women, however, are staging a sit-in outside of the Mosque.
One of the barred women, called Hanadi al-Halawani, said that Israeli forces besieged them with iron barriers, chased some of them and tried to arrest another. The forces also beat up a group of Turkish women who approached the besieged Jerusalemites to show their solidarity.
5 sept 2015
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Saturday at dawn, various Palestinian villages and towns, in the northern West Bank district of Jenin, and installed several roadblocks.
Media sources in Jenin said the soldiers invaded Ya’bad, Kafrit, Kafr Qoud, and Zabbouba, and installed roadblocks on the main entrances of the villages of Ta’nak, Rommana and Zabbouba, before stopping and searching dozens of cars while inspecting the ID cards of the passengers.
In addition, soldiers invaded the local elementary girls’ school in the al-Malloul area of Jenin, and searching it, allegedly “looking for young men who hurled stones on army vehicles.” On Friday at night, many Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation during clashed with soldiers invading the al-‘Arqa nearby village.
Media sources in Jenin said the soldiers invaded Ya’bad, Kafrit, Kafr Qoud, and Zabbouba, and installed roadblocks on the main entrances of the villages of Ta’nak, Rommana and Zabbouba, before stopping and searching dozens of cars while inspecting the ID cards of the passengers.
In addition, soldiers invaded the local elementary girls’ school in the al-Malloul area of Jenin, and searching it, allegedly “looking for young men who hurled stones on army vehicles.” On Friday at night, many Palestinians suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation during clashed with soldiers invading the al-‘Arqa nearby village.
2 sept 2015
Hundreds of Christian Palestinians protested in the northern Israeli city of Nazareth Tuesday against what they said was state discrimination in funding their schools, which prompted them to declare an open-ended strike, an AFP reporter said.
"We're not asking for a privilege but justice; that our schools receive what other schools in Israel get," the Roman Catholic patriarchal vicar for Israel, Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, told a crowd at the foot of the Basilica of the Annunciation in the northern city.
Palestinian Christian schools in Israel stayed shut Tuesday, delaying the start of the new academic year, in a funding dispute with authorities in Israel.
Traditionally, the schools received 65 percent of their budgets from the state, with parents paying the balance, as is the case with institutions recognized by the state but not considered official public schools.
But that figure was cut to 34 percent two years ago, sharply increasing the amount parents had to come up with. Current state financing covers only 29 percent of the costs, said Marcuzzo, noting that the schools were short approximately 200 million shekels ($51 million).
The strike affects around 33,000 pupils, mostly Muslim Palestinians, at 47 schools run primarily by the Catholic church, and would only end when a solution was reached, said Marcuzzo, who is bishop of Nazareth.
"If Christian schools are threatened, in the long run, it is the very Christian presence in Israel that is threatened," he told AFP. Marcuzzo said they were relying on Christians of all denominations mobilizing, and that Pope Francis himself would raise the matter in a Thursday meeting in the Vatican with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
"The Holy See will certainly discuss the issue," he said. Demonstrators at the site where Christians believe the Virgin Mary was told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus were holding banners accusing the government of seeking to put an end to Christian schools and demanding full state funding for the institutions.
Christian schools and Israeli authorities have been in tough talks for a year and a half over state funding for them and their 3,000 employees, but with no results. "We've tried everything and have no option left but to go on strike," said Botrus Mansour, spokesman for the schools.
The education ministry said "there has been no cut in the (funding) of the last year, and there will be no cut in that of the upcoming year," noting that it would continue its dialogue with the schools. The student population at the schools is 60 percent Palestinian Christian and 40 percent Palestinian Muslim.
The schools have a history predating Israel's foundation in 1948 and are run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church.According to Israeli official figures, 160,000 Palestinian Christians live in Israel and 14,000 in occupied East Jerusalem.
The talks are taking place at a time when Palestinian Christians in Israel are under growing strains, with leaders of their communities saying they are afraid in the wake of attacks by Jewish extremists on churches and other properties. Earlier this month, Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Palestinian group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
"We're not asking for a privilege but justice; that our schools receive what other schools in Israel get," the Roman Catholic patriarchal vicar for Israel, Bishop Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, told a crowd at the foot of the Basilica of the Annunciation in the northern city.
Palestinian Christian schools in Israel stayed shut Tuesday, delaying the start of the new academic year, in a funding dispute with authorities in Israel.
Traditionally, the schools received 65 percent of their budgets from the state, with parents paying the balance, as is the case with institutions recognized by the state but not considered official public schools.
But that figure was cut to 34 percent two years ago, sharply increasing the amount parents had to come up with. Current state financing covers only 29 percent of the costs, said Marcuzzo, noting that the schools were short approximately 200 million shekels ($51 million).
The strike affects around 33,000 pupils, mostly Muslim Palestinians, at 47 schools run primarily by the Catholic church, and would only end when a solution was reached, said Marcuzzo, who is bishop of Nazareth.
"If Christian schools are threatened, in the long run, it is the very Christian presence in Israel that is threatened," he told AFP. Marcuzzo said they were relying on Christians of all denominations mobilizing, and that Pope Francis himself would raise the matter in a Thursday meeting in the Vatican with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
"The Holy See will certainly discuss the issue," he said. Demonstrators at the site where Christians believe the Virgin Mary was told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus were holding banners accusing the government of seeking to put an end to Christian schools and demanding full state funding for the institutions.
Christian schools and Israeli authorities have been in tough talks for a year and a half over state funding for them and their 3,000 employees, but with no results. "We've tried everything and have no option left but to go on strike," said Botrus Mansour, spokesman for the schools.
The education ministry said "there has been no cut in the (funding) of the last year, and there will be no cut in that of the upcoming year," noting that it would continue its dialogue with the schools. The student population at the schools is 60 percent Palestinian Christian and 40 percent Palestinian Muslim.
The schools have a history predating Israel's foundation in 1948 and are run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church.According to Israeli official figures, 160,000 Palestinian Christians live in Israel and 14,000 in occupied East Jerusalem.
The talks are taking place at a time when Palestinian Christians in Israel are under growing strains, with leaders of their communities saying they are afraid in the wake of attacks by Jewish extremists on churches and other properties. Earlier this month, Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Palestinian group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) notified Wednesday the demolition of a primary school in Yatta town south of al-Khalil.
The local activist Rateb Rajoub told PIC reporter that IOF stormed the town and handed demolition notification to a primary school under the pretext of being established in the Israeli-controlled area C.
The area has been subjected over the past two years to an Israeli systematic displacement policy aiming to forcibly evacuate the town for settlement expansion.
The local activist Rateb Rajoub told PIC reporter that IOF stormed the town and handed demolition notification to a primary school under the pretext of being established in the Israeli-controlled area C.
The area has been subjected over the past two years to an Israeli systematic displacement policy aiming to forcibly evacuate the town for settlement expansion.
1 sept 2015
Palestinian Christian schools in Israel stayed shut Tuesday, delaying the start of the new academic year, in a funding dispute with authorities in Israel.
The strike action affects around 33,000 pupils, mostly Muslim Palestinians, at 47 schools run primarily by the Roman Catholic church. "All the schools are closed after a call for an open-ended strike," said the spokesman for Christian schools in Israel, Botrus Mansour.
Palestinian Christian schools and Israeli authorities have been in tough talks over state funding for them and their 3,000 employees. "For a year and a half, we have been holding talks with the Israeli authorities and several figures have intervened, even the Vatican," said Mansour.
"A week ago, President Reuven Rivlin and Education Minister Naftali Bennett made very positive comments ... But we still haven't seen any serious proposal. "We've tried everything and have no option left but to go on strike," he said.
Traditionally, the schools received 65 percent of their budgets from the state, with parents paying the balance. But that figure was cut to 34 percent two years ago, sharply increasing the amount parents had to come up with. Current state financing covers only "29 percent of the overall cost of a primary school," the schools said in a statement.
"It is a matter of equality," according to Father Abdelmassih Fahim, director of schools for the Catholic church's Custody of the Holy Land. "A Jewish Israeli child has the right to 100 percent (of school costs covered by the state) while our schools don't, while our teaching is among the best in Israel."
The student population at the schools is 60 percent Palestinian Christian and 40 percent Palestinian Muslim. The schools have a history predating Israel's foundation in 1948 and are run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church.
According to Israeli official figures, 160,000 Palestinian Christians live in Israel and 14,000 in occupied East Jerusalem. The talks are taking place at a time when Palestinian Christians in Israel are under growing strains, with leaders of their communities saying they are afraid in the wake of attacks by Jewish extremists on churches and other properties.
Earlier this month, Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Palestinian group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
The strike action affects around 33,000 pupils, mostly Muslim Palestinians, at 47 schools run primarily by the Roman Catholic church. "All the schools are closed after a call for an open-ended strike," said the spokesman for Christian schools in Israel, Botrus Mansour.
Palestinian Christian schools and Israeli authorities have been in tough talks over state funding for them and their 3,000 employees. "For a year and a half, we have been holding talks with the Israeli authorities and several figures have intervened, even the Vatican," said Mansour.
"A week ago, President Reuven Rivlin and Education Minister Naftali Bennett made very positive comments ... But we still haven't seen any serious proposal. "We've tried everything and have no option left but to go on strike," he said.
Traditionally, the schools received 65 percent of their budgets from the state, with parents paying the balance. But that figure was cut to 34 percent two years ago, sharply increasing the amount parents had to come up with. Current state financing covers only "29 percent of the overall cost of a primary school," the schools said in a statement.
"It is a matter of equality," according to Father Abdelmassih Fahim, director of schools for the Catholic church's Custody of the Holy Land. "A Jewish Israeli child has the right to 100 percent (of school costs covered by the state) while our schools don't, while our teaching is among the best in Israel."
The student population at the schools is 60 percent Palestinian Christian and 40 percent Palestinian Muslim. The schools have a history predating Israel's foundation in 1948 and are run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church.
According to Israeli official figures, 160,000 Palestinian Christians live in Israel and 14,000 in occupied East Jerusalem. The talks are taking place at a time when Palestinian Christians in Israel are under growing strains, with leaders of their communities saying they are afraid in the wake of attacks by Jewish extremists on churches and other properties.
Earlier this month, Benzi Gopstein, leader of anti-Palestinian group Lehava, allegedly called for the burning of churches at a panel held for Jewish yeshiva students, using ancient Halachic, or Jewish law, to condemn what he called Christian "idol worship."
Head of Hamas’s refugee department Issam Adwan said Tuesday that Gaza Strip is in need of 200 new UNRWA schools.
Adwan stressed that the establishment of these schools comes in the context of calling for equal treatment between Gaza and the UNRWA’s four other operational areas (West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon).
UNRWA has recently revealed that this year the agency's 250 schools in Gaza were attended by nearly 250,000 children, while 250,000 students were distributed in 450 UN schools across all four fields of the agency's operation in the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Earlier today, UNRWA said that its Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl, signed into agreement the first two components of a newly concluded $35 million projects package. The two components, worth $19.5 million, were signed with His Excellency Eng. Yousef Ibrahim Al Bassam, the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
The first component, valued at $15 million, will support essential education and healthcare operations in Gaza. The second will provide funds for much needed maintenance to UNRWA facilities across all five fields of operation in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Adwan stressed that the establishment of these schools comes in the context of calling for equal treatment between Gaza and the UNRWA’s four other operational areas (West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon).
UNRWA has recently revealed that this year the agency's 250 schools in Gaza were attended by nearly 250,000 children, while 250,000 students were distributed in 450 UN schools across all four fields of the agency's operation in the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Earlier today, UNRWA said that its Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl, signed into agreement the first two components of a newly concluded $35 million projects package. The two components, worth $19.5 million, were signed with His Excellency Eng. Yousef Ibrahim Al Bassam, the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
The first component, valued at $15 million, will support essential education and healthcare operations in Gaza. The second will provide funds for much needed maintenance to UNRWA facilities across all five fields of operation in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
Clashes broke out between Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and Palestinian school students as well as families in Johar Mount in al-Khalil on Monday. The IOF soldiers erected a military checkpoint to the north of the city.
Local sources revealed that Israeli military vehicles and reinforcements raided the vicinity of a Palestinian school in Johar Mount leading to violent clashes. Israeli troops fired tear gas and bullets at Palestinian children, schools and houses, the sources added.
The sources disclosed that families of students along with Palestinian youths confronted the IOF soldiers by stones and empty bottles. Israeli patrols erected military makeshifts and searched Palestinian vehicles.
The Israeli troops removed a military barrier and tower from the same area on Sunday. The tower was established by Israelis 12 years ago.
In the same context, the soldiers erected a new barrier in northern al-Khalil for searching Palestinian vehicles.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers erected the checkpoint at a conjunction near Gosh Etzion settlement and blocked the traffic.
Local sources revealed that Israeli military vehicles and reinforcements raided the vicinity of a Palestinian school in Johar Mount leading to violent clashes. Israeli troops fired tear gas and bullets at Palestinian children, schools and houses, the sources added.
The sources disclosed that families of students along with Palestinian youths confronted the IOF soldiers by stones and empty bottles. Israeli patrols erected military makeshifts and searched Palestinian vehicles.
The Israeli troops removed a military barrier and tower from the same area on Sunday. The tower was established by Israelis 12 years ago.
In the same context, the soldiers erected a new barrier in northern al-Khalil for searching Palestinian vehicles.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers erected the checkpoint at a conjunction near Gosh Etzion settlement and blocked the traffic.
