Author: Samira Alayan

Book review by: Lana Shehadeh

Published by: Abingdon: Routledge

Year of publication: 2019

Number of pages: 166

ISBN: 978-0815352372

 

In Education in East Jerusalem: Occupation, Political Power, and Struggle, Samira Alayan chronicles the nature of the political context within the Palestinian territories and Israel. She begins with a detailed historical narration of various levels of citizenship in- and outside the West Bank and Gaza Strip as it relates to Palestinian inhabitants. It is particularly important, as Alayan explains, to understand the development of the education system within one of the most controversial cities in the context of Israel and the Palestinian territories: Jerusalem. In East Jerusalem, inhabitants do not possess Israeli citizenship; rather, they have Jerusalem identification (ID) cards. Its status is not at the level of Israeli citizenship; however, it gives more rights to movement in the West Bank than that of a Palestinian with a Palestinian ID card or passport. Although given more rights than the average Palestinian in the West Bank, East Jerusalem residents suffer, according to Alayan, from a lack of clarity in belonging. Owing to Jerusalem’s unique status, the Israeli Ministry of Education possesses formal authority over East Jerusalem schools. Pedagogical areas, such as textbooks and curriculum, are provided by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The resulting reality is that neither the Palestinian Authority nor the Israeli government assumes responsibility for the educational deficiencies of the current system. These deficiencies, according to the author, have been rampant for years with no actual remedies in place. Alayan examines the reasons behind these deficiencies and why it has contributed to decades of a failing education system.

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Education in East Jerusalem: Occupation, Political Power, and Struggle