Israeli forces have confiscated hundreds of books depicting the Palestinian flag from students in East Jerusalem, according to a report published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
“Since the start of the school year, Israeli police officers stationed at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound have searched the bags of Palestinian high school students wishing to enter and confiscated textbooks depicting the Palestinian flag,” the report read.
Haaretz mentioned a source from the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf – which administers Al-Aqsa Mosque compound – as saying: “The method is now to buy two books, one for home and one for school so that they don’t walk around with the books. There’s also a thought of buying the children iPods and putting the books there.”
Israeli authorities have been trying for years to impose the Israeli curriculum on Palestinian schools in the occupied East Jerusalem.
Palestinians consider Israeli attempts at Israelizing the Palestinian-taught curricula as a war on their identity, history, and culture.
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Last June, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement to condemn Israel’s restrictive measures against Palestinian students and teachers.
“The attempt to control the consciousness of generations and push them to accept the procedures and measures of the occupation is clear,” the ministry said, adding that these moves constitute “a flagrant violation of international law.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
