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The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned Israeli authorities for preventing teachers and staff from the occupied West Bank who work at Palestinian schools in East Jerusalem from reaching their schools.

In a statement, the Ministry said the measure had caused disruptions and suspensions of classes with the start of the new school year, arguing that this constituted a direct violation of Palestinian students’ right to education. The statement said the measure amounted to an attack targeting Palestinian educational institutions in East Jerusalem.

The Ministry also objected to Israel’s practices regarding educational curricula. The statement alleged that Israel was not content with occupying and controlling territory, but was also seeking to impose Israeli educational curricula.

The statement alleged that control over education, curricula and sources of information was also being used in an attempt to alter the historical narrative, impose a different narrative on Palestinian generations and deprive them of the right to know their own history, civilization and national identity.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry also condemned the continued targeting of institutions of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in occupied East Jerusalem and the seizure of its facilities.

The Ministry stressed that East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory and argued that all Israeli practices aimed at changing the city’s character and identity, transforming its legal, demographic, cultural and religious structure, or consolidating the annexation of the occupied West Bank are null and illegitimate.

The statement said these practices would not grant Israel any right or sovereignty over East Jerusalem, while preserving Jerusalem’s religious, cultural and civilizational identity is an international responsibility based on international law.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates called on the international community, the United Nations and states to fulfill their legal and political responsibilities.

The Ministry said the international community should not limit itself to statements of condemnation and called for concrete steps to ensure that Israel stops targeting Palestinian educational institutions, guarantees teachers and staff access to their schools, and respects Palestinian students’ right to education.

The statement also called for concrete and practical measures to protect Jerusalem’s institutions, preserve the city’s historical, cultural and religious identity, and end the Israeli occupation of the territories of the State of Palestine.

The Ministry reiterated that Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Palestine and argued that practices aimed at changing the city’s status and identity are unacceptable under international law.