Palestinian schools in occupied East Jerusalem said on Monday that they will observe a one-day strike on Tuesday to protest dictates by the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem.Because the Palestinian Authority values education and abhors a forced vacation on students, they shut down their schools.
The schools were told to shut down for Spring vacation at the same time the Israeli schools go on holiday, which the Palestinian Ministry of Education said would interfere with its high school exam, tawjihi, schedule for the Palestinian schools.
The ministry said the new Israeli interference in the Palestinian schools' schedule is political and aimed at undermining the education these schools provide.
It said it strongly opposes the new Israeli dictates and program, saying “they are part of the war Israel is waging against education in Jerusalem,” which, it added, “is a violation of all conventions and laws that call for the right to education.”
Makes perfect sense.
The Hamas-run Ministry of Interior in Gaza closed the Palestinian side of the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel on Sunday morning, denying residents of the besieged coastal enclave passage in both directions.Hamas blames Israel for killing a terrorist so it punishes Gazans by turning Gaza into a prison.
Spokesperson for the ministry Iyad al-Buzm said in a statement that the crossing would remain closed until further notice in order for Gaza's security serves to undertake "procedures" in response to the killing of 35-year-old Mazen Fuqahaa in Gaza City on Friday, which Hamas has branded as an assassination by Israel.
Erez is the only land crossing between Gaza and Israel for the use of Palestinian civilians. While travel is heavily restricted by Israeli authorities as part of a crippling blockade on the coastal enclave in place since 2007, the Hamas-implemented closure came as a rare measure.
Al-Buzm added that the ministry would allow “humanitarian cases” to return home from Israel, but did not say humanitarians cases would be permitted to leave the blockaded Palestinian territory.
Makes perfect sense.