Ankara: All Christian schools in Jerusalem announced that they will suspend classes starting Tuesday after Israel failed to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and staff, preventing them from reaching their schools.

According to Anadolu Agency, the new academic year in Israel and Jerusalem was scheduled to begin Tuesday. However, the Christian schools in Jerusalem stated that as they were preparing to open for the 2026-2027 academic year, they encountered an unexpected 'failure to renew entry permits for more than 70 teachers and employees from our educational, administrative and support staff, suddenly and without prior warning.'

The schools highlighted that the absence of such a large number of staff impacts various aspects of school operations, including educational, administrative, and health services, as well as cleaning and security measures. This situation, they asserted, 'makes it impossible to ensure a safe and stable start' to the academic year for students.

Following consultations with relevant parties, parents' representatives, and other Jerusalem schools, a decision was made to suspend classes starting Tuesday, Sept. 1. The suspension will continue 'until the necessary permits for teachers and employees are reissued and renewed, ensuring that the educational process proceeds safely and properly,' they emphasized.

The schools reiterated their commitment to students' right to education, warning that repeated measures of this kind 'undermine the stability of our schools and hinder their ability to fulfill their mission,' while negatively affecting students, their families, and educational staff. They called for a swift resolution of the crisis and for the permits to be renewed to allow a normal academic year.

Separately, Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, condemned the Israeli measure, noting on social media that 'Israel's pressure on the Christian presence in Jerusalem continues.' He pointed out that 'Christian schools in the city are going on strike because Israel refuses to issue permits to their West Bank teachers.'

Since October 2023, Israel has restricted entry permits for Palestinian workers from the occupied West Bank, including teachers, coinciding with the start of the genocidal war in the Gaza Strip.