According to Haaretz, 62 percent of teachers with Palestinian Authority degrees work as teachers in East Jerusalem, 29 percent in Bedouin education in the Negev, and 9 percent in other areas.
The Israeli Knesset on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill barring the employment of any graduates of Palestinian academic institutions from teaching in Israel’s education system, according to Haaretz.
The legislation, initiated by Likud MKs Avichai Poirot and Amit Halevi, has been described as discriminatory and exclusionary, targeting Palestinian academics in the territories occupied in 1948, the Quds News Network reported.
The Knesset approved a law banning anyone holding an academic degree from a Palestinian higher education institution from working in the regime’s education system.
Follow: https://t.co/B3zXG73Jym pic.twitter.com/A0jXk9v445
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) January 22, 2026
The politicians reportedly said the law aims to “prevent the harmful influence of the Palestinian Authority,” Haaretz said.
The report noted that 30 MKs voted in favor of the bill, while 10 voted against and one abstained, out of a total of 120 Knesset members. The bill passed its second and third readings, meaning it is now in effect.
Lacking Qualifications
The law amends the State Education Law and the Schools Supervision Law, stipulating that anyone holding an academic degree from a Palestinian Authority higher education institution will be considered as lacking the required academic qualifications for employment within the education system.
‘Permits of Humiliation’: How Israel Strangles Christian Education in Jerusalem
It allows the Education Ministry’s director-general to approve employment for individuals with a bachelor’s degree from a Palestinian institution if they also hold a degree from an Israeli-recognized institution, the report noted. Approvals may, however, be denied “if it is proven their employment will have a harmful influence on students or minors.”
Impact on Teacher Supply
According to Haaretz, 62 percent of teachers with Palestinian Authority degrees work as teachers in East Jerusalem, 29 percent in Bedouin education in the Negev, and 9 percent in other areas.
The paper noted that this law “is expected to particularly impact” the teacher supply in East Jerusalem.
Schools Shut, Homes Burned in Israeli and Settler Assaults from Ramallah to Jerusalem – VIDEOS
At least 60 percent of the approximately 6,700 teachers currently employed in the city’s Arab education system hold Palestinian degrees, it stated.
According to data presented by the Knesset Research and Information Center, 30,339 new teachers joined the Palestinian education sector within the occupied territories over the past decade, 11 percent of whom hold academic degrees from the Palestinian Authority, QNN reported.
(PC, QNN)
Be the first to comment