Israel’s Curriculum Control Over Palestinian Education

The start of the school year in occupied East Jerusalem was marked by a significant development: 45,000 Palestinian students are now enrolled in schools using a curriculum developed by Israeli authorities. This represents over a third of Palestinian students in the occupied territory and nearly double the enrollment from the prior year.

In contrast, Christian schools began their academic year with a teacher strike, as many educators residing in the occupied West Bank were denied permits to enter the city for work.

For Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, these developments constitute another infringement on their national rights under occupation. Israel, however, frames its involvement as essential, arguing that Palestinian textbooks endorsed by the Palestinian Ministry of Education promote hatred and that teachers trained in Palestinian Authority institutions foster anti-Israel sentiment.

Under international humanitarian law, occupying powers are obligated to ensure the functioning of educational institutions without interference. The latest commentary from the International Committee of the Red Cross reinforces this, stating that occupiers must not supplant existing education systems or impose alternative curricula.

Nevertheless, Israeli influence over Palestinian education extends far beyond East Jerusalem, affecting both the occupied West Bank and, increasingly, the Gaza Strip. Past Israeli governments have pressured the United States and European nations to compel the PA to revise its textbooks by tying foreign aid to compliance. Simultaneously, the destruction of Gaza’s education infrastructure has enabled Western-funded NGOs to introduce Israel-approved curricula.

Israel’s claim that intervention is needed to stop Palestinian children from being taught hate lacks credibility under scrutiny.

Research backed by the U.S. Department of State and conducted jointly by Palestinian and Israeli scholars has shown that Palestinian textbooks do not incite hatred or dehumanize Israelis.

So what exactly is Israel seeking to change in Palestinian educational content?

Comparative studies between Palestinian textbooks and Israeli-modified versions used in occupied East Jerusalem reveal consistent alterations aimed at erasing symbols of Palestinian identity. These include omitting references to the Palestinian flag and anthem, removing discussions of Palestinian history, and eliminating mentions of sovereignty.

A 2025 analysis of elementary-level textbooks found that Israeli edits often swapped the word “Palestine” with “Israel” and excised passages describing life under occupation.

Rather than countering hate speech, these revisions seek to strip away elements of Palestinian national identity—territory, history, and self-determination—that Israel has long disputed, dating back to its establishment when it denied the existence of a distinct Palestinian people.

Resistance among Palestinians to curriculum reforms in East Jerusalem cannot be reduced solely to opposition against textbook content. For many parents, educators, and institutions, the deeper concern lies in the implication that adopting the Israeli curriculum signals acceptance of Israel’s annexationist claims over Jerusalem and the systematic erasure of Palestinian cultural identity within the city.

Eradicating key concepts—such as the Nakba, refugee rights, occupation, and Palestinian sovereignty—from educational materials risks weakening the connection between younger generations and the historical narrative that defines their collective identity and political aspirations.

As Israel maintains control over land, mobility, permits, budgets, and institutions, it also shapes how Palestinians narrate their reality to future generations. Yet there remains minimal oversight from Western allies regarding the content taught in Israeli schools.

In her book *Palestine in Israeli School Books*, Israeli researcher Nurit Peled-Elhanan analyzed Hebrew history and geography textbooks from the post-Oslo period, uncovering widespread use of racial stereotypes and the marginalization of Palestinian voices. She expressed alarm that Israeli youth emerge from school unprepared for military service with fear-based perceptions of Palestinians and limited understanding of their lived experiences.

More recently, scholar Yael Teff-Seker examined 123 textbooks used in Israeli-Jewish schools and found pervasive ethnonational bias, enduring themes of Jewish victimhood, and scant inclusion of Palestinian perspectives. While peace with Arab states is portrayed positively, the occupation is described neutrally, and terms like “Judea and Samaria” replace references to the occupied West Bank.

An additional study co-authored by Israeli academic Roy Weintraub examines how Palestinian dispossession—the Nakba—is addressed in Israeli classrooms. Findings show that while the term appears partially in textbooks, most materials justify Israeli military actions during the 1948 war. The paper concludes: “Introducing controversial history does not inherently foster critical engagement with the trauma and injustices endured.”

The challenges surrounding curricula in Israel-Palestine go beyond academics—they reflect broader power dynamics. When one party dominates territory, resources, institutions, and discourse, education becomes another front in the ongoing conflict.

The debate over Palestinian textbooks ultimately concerns who holds the authority to define legitimate history—and whether that right belongs to those living under occupation or to the state enforcing it.

The author’s views are personal and do not necessarily align with Al Jazeera’s editorial position.

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