Israeli government’s policies threaten Christian schools, Latin Patriarchate charges

May 28, 2015

Two auxiliary bishops of Jerusalem, joined by other Christian leaders and parents, took part in a May 27 protest outside Israel’s education ministry to protest policies that they say threaten the existence of Christian schools in Israel.

According to the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the education ministry has cut its assistance to Christian schools by 45% in the last decade. At the same time, the education ministry has “issued new regulations that even limited the ability of Christian schools to collect fees from the parents”-- in effect imposing a “death penalty” upon Christian schools.

Father Abdel Masih Fahim, who directs the patriarchate’s office of schools, told the Fides news agency that the protest was “a peaceful and respectful demonstration, to say that we want to be treated like the others, both at an economic level and with regards to freedom of education.”

 

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Further information:

• Unprecedented Christian Schools demonstration in Jerusalem (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
• Protest demonstration of Christian schools against discriminatory policies (Fides)