On January 10th and for several days thereafter, the 12 Christian schools in Jerusalem were at the heart of an unprecedented strike movement. The situation originated when new restrictions were imposed on the work permits of numerous Palestinian teachers from the West Bank, thereby preventing them from accessing school premises. (The Times of Israel)

The movement was initially triggered by several Christian schools announcing the suspension of classes. Subsequently, and out of solidarity, the strike quickly extended to all private schools in East Jerusalem. As a result, 10 000 to 20 000 Christian and Muslim pupils were deprived of access to education at the beginning of the new academic term, after the end of summer break. These schools, which rank among the oldest and most prestigious educational institutions in the city, play a central role within the local educational landscape. Their abrupt closure caused significant concert among families, who were already facing an unstable political and security environment. (Terre Sainte Magazine)

A broader educational and political issue 

At the heart of the conflict lay the question of work permits. The majority of the teaching staff reside in the West Bank and are therefore dependent upon permits issued by the Israeli authorities in order to cross the checkpoints leading into Jerusalem. "The General Secretariat, which considers the Israeli decision to be arbitrary, stated that 171 teachers and staff members were affected by the new restrictions on work permits" (The Times of Israel). In recent months, numerous permits have either not been extended, have been revoked, or have been suject to severe limitations, in some cases restricting access to only a few days per week. This situation was labelled unsustainable by school boards which emphasied that they were no longer able to guarantee a normal education in the absence of their qualified teaching personnel (Terre Sainte Magazine). Beyond school educational considerations, the strike brought to light a broader structural issue, namely the restriction of freedom of movement between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Mobility constraints affect multiple sectors, however their impact on the education system has drawn particular scrutiny. For parents, the issue is clear : their children’s right to stable and uninterrupted schooling. 

Local Christian institutions promptly expressed their support for the movement. In several reports, they highlighted the potentially far-reaching consequences of these restrictions, not only for the education sector but also for the Christian presence in Jerusalem. Their weakening is interpreted as a matter of serious concern for Jerusalem’s social balance especially as "the education field is the target of a systematic campaign led by Israel. It manifests with the imposition of the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools, the blackmailing of their administrations through funding and licensing, the closure of schools or threats of closure, and the obstruction of renovation and construction work. In addition to a severe shortage of classrooms and infrastructures produced by deliberate policies of neglect, pupils and teachers are subjected to daily harassment through police inspections and raids" (Middle East Eye).

Fragile recovery and persistent concerns

After several days of protest and negotiations with qualified authorities, some schools gradually reopened starting mid-January. Temporary adjustments allowed classes to resume partially. Nevertheless, educational officials are still cautious as no long-term guarantees have thus far been provided, and concerns regarding further restrictions remain. The strike involving Jerusalem Christian schools extends beyond the scope of a purely administrative dispute. Rather, it constitutes a concrete illustration of how political tensions and security decisions directly affect the population's daily-life. (Terre Sainte Magazine). "The pressure exerted on the Jerusalem Christian schools is more broadly perceived as an attack on their educational system. Within these institutions, Christian and Muslim coexist, and education for peace and brotherhood remains an essential value, despite divisions. Since last summer, a bill has been under consideration in the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. In the aftermath of the events of October 7th, 2023, it suggests prohibiting the employment of teachers who received their education in the Palestinian territories. Jerusalem Christian schools remain hopeful it will not come to that". (Vatican News) 

Demolition of a Palestinian residential building in East Jerusalem

On Monday morning, January 26th, a four-storey residential building was demolished by Israeli authorities in the Silwan neighborhood of East-Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of approximately 100 Palestinian inhabitants. (WAFA Agency) According to several sources such as the Israeli NGO B’Tselem, the building, which consisted of 13 apartments and accomodated between 90 to 100 individuals, was destroyed by public vehicles operating under police protection. (B’Tselem) 

The authorities justified the demolition on the basis that the structure had been erected without the requisite building permit, a common situation in this part of the city where permit Palestinian applications are rarely granted, as have stated several rights organisations. Eyewitnesses accounts indicate that the operation began early in the morning with roads sealed off by police forces and residents compelled to evacuate immediately. (The Times of Israel)

This event is one the most significant residential demolitions recorded this year in East Jerusalem, and has prompted strong reactions from human rights advocates, who have denounced such actions as forced displacement policies. (Le devoir)  

Printed prayers allowed on the Temple Mount, a new violation of the status quo

The Israeli police recently allowed the admission of printed Jewish prayer sheets on the compound of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, also referred to as the Temple Mount. "A seemingly minor detail but one that, in Jerusalem, marks a potentially significant shift". (Le Figaro) Until now, under the religious status quo established in 1967, non-Muslims visitors were allowed to access the site at specific times, but without engaging in acts of worship or carrying religious objects. (i24news)

This authorisation, implemented by "the new commander of the Jerusalem district, appointed by far-right secretary Ben-Givir [...] reflects a significant departure from the status quo". (Haaretz) The decision has been welcomed by certain Jewish religious communities (allisraelnews) which interpret it as a step towards a greater religious freedom : "Rabbi Elisha Wolfson, director of the Temple Mount yeshiva, told Hareetz enthusiastically that he hoped the next step would be the introduction of full prayer books and ritual objects in the coming weeks". (Haaretz) On the contrary, Palestinian and Muslims leaders have strongly denounced the decision, viewing it as a direct challenge to the status quo, and fearing an escalation of tensions around the city’s most sensitive places. 

Israeli authorities have nonetheless maintained that the measure remains strictly regulated and does not constitute an official revision of existing arrangements. In spite of these assurances, this development has rekindled debates concerning religious and political administration of the Temple Mount, as well as tensions between communities, just a few weeks before the start of Ramadan. (Haaretz)

The destruction of the UNRWA headquarters 

Israeli authorities proceeded to the destruction of several buildings belonging to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) located in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Carried out on January 20th, the operation followed the Israeli government’s prohibition of the organisation’s activities on its territory. (France 24)

Bulldozers were deployed on the facility, which had previously been used for administration and storage, while the police forces escorted the destruction teams. UNRWA condemned these actions as an "unprecedented attack" on an international organization and as a violation of international law, stating that its property was still under the protection of UN privileges. (CNN) According to the organisation, parts of the site were also set on fire after its demolition, which was described as a step towards dismantling the UNRWA’s presence in East Jerusalem. (UNRWA) Israel defended the operation as the lawful enforcement of newly enacted legislation prohibitsing UNRWA’s activity in the country, while accusing the organisation of contacts with armed groups – allegations categorically denied by UNRWA. (Reuters)

The demolition has drawn international criticism, with European governments arguing that such actions violate standards protecting humanitarian facilities and risk further complicating the humanitarian context in the occupied Palestinian territories. According to the Haaretz newspaper, the government "now plans to build 1400 housings there" in order to expand the Israeli Jewish presence in East Jerusalem. (Haaretz)

The Christian Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Christian Zionism

On January 17th, 2026, the Patriarchs and leaders of Jerusalem’s principal Christian churches, including Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian, Anglican and Lutheran traditions, issued a joint communiqué addressed both to Christian believers and to international public opinion. (Aleteia)

In this statement, religious leaders stated that the Christian people of the Holy Land are entrusted to historic apostolic churches, which have overseen the Christian ministry of the region for centuries. They further emphasised that this pastoral responsibility must not be usurped by individuals or private movements claiming to be Christian while supporting external ideologies. The Patriarchs condemned "recent actions of certain local individuals who promote harmful ideologies such as Christian Zionism, mislead the public, sow confusion and undermine the unity of our people". (Jerusalem Patriarcharte) They warned that such movement finds political support among certain local and international actors, which, according to them, could endanger Christian presence in the Holy Land and reduce the spiritual witness of the churches in the region. (Aleteia)

Without mentioning it, the statement specifically targeted the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), an evangelical Christian organisation founded in the 1980s that has been a political and theological support to the State of Israel. Clearly aligned with Christian Zionism, its growing influence has raised significant concerns. (The Jerusalem Post) The statement also emphasised that the historic Churches are the sole to authentically represent Christian communities in religious, cultural and pastoral matters in Holy Land. It called for vigilance and the protection of Christian unity in a context characterised by religious and social tensions as well as numerous external interferences. (Jerusalem Patriarcharte)

A conference on anti-Semitism in Jerusalem attended by European far-right leaders.

On January 26th, the "International Conference on Combating Antisemitism — Generating Truth" was inaugurated in Jerusalem. It was organised under the authority of Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikly around International Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27th). (The Times of Israel) The stated goal was to bring together political leaders, diplomats, parliamentarians, academics and media figures in order to discuss contemporary causes of antisemitism and to formulate concrete strategies to address it. (Generation Truth) Amichai Chikli, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, has frequently arisen polemics due to his links with traditionally anti-Semitic far-right European parties. For instance, he was behind the visit of Jordan Bardella, president of France’s Rassemblement National (National Rally), to Israel in March 2025. (Le Monde)

This two-day gathering actually brought together "speakers from nationalist parties in Spain, France, Belgium, Sweden and Brazil, as well as intellectuals and influential public figures known for their conservative thinking". (The Times of Israel) A plenary session held at the Israeli Knesset preceded the opening of the conference, and was "attended by a broad range of delegates, including European far-right representatives. [...] Fabrice Leggeri of the National Rally, Jimmie Åkesson, leader of the Sweden Democrats, and Sam van Rooy of Belgium’s Flemish party, Vlaams Belang belge". Each of them took turns to speak "about the risks of anti-Semitism in Europe, particularly coming from Islamist extremists". (The Times of Israel) Their presence and public interventions prompted strong reactions. Some critics argued it to be a contradictory message at a conference "against antisemitism", all the more so as these representatives are themselves associated with positions or histories criticised for their links with far-right ideologies. (Alliance) Consequently, we have been witnessing an incredible reversal of cynicism : "Israel is walking a tightrope ; engaging with far-right parties may be a strategic necessity in the short term, but history has shown it to be a hazard in the long term". (The Jerusalem Post) For the Haaretz newspaper, "Israel is bungling the fight against anti-Semitism by embracing the anti-Semitic legacy of Europe", in the name of political realism. Therefore, the country is opening Pandora’s box by taking the risk to symbolically rehabilitate these parties and "to normalise the very phenomenon that the conference claims to fight ». (Haaretz)

Ce bulletin de veille est réalisé par l’Observatoire Pharos, observatoire du pluralisme des cultures et des religions, dans le cadre de sa mission d’étude de la situation du pluralisme à Jérusalem. Il rassemble des informations, analyses et déclarations qui ne reflètent pas systématiquement la perception de la situation par l’Observatoire Pharos, mais qui constituent des documents à intégrer dans l’analyse. Les destinataires, partenaires de l’Observatoire Pharos, sont invités à contribuer à la qualité de cette veille par le partage de toutes informations utiles et diffusables. Notre méthodologie et nos engagements concernant cette veille sont disponibles dans le document ci-dessous.

This newsletter is written by Observatoire Pharos, an observatory of cultural and religious pluralism, as part of its project 1001 Faces of Jerusalem. It gathers information, analyzes and speeches which may not reflect Pharos Observatory's feeling about the situation, but which should be taken into account as part of the analysis. All recipients, who are Pharos Observatory's partners, are encouraged to contribute to this Watch by sharing any information that is worthwhile and fit to print.