Jordan queen pledges to improve east Jerusalem schools

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Jordan's Queen Rania on Sunday launched an initiative to repair and develop Palestinian schools in Israeli-occupied Arab east Jerusalem.

"We launch Madrasati (my school) Palestine from Jordan today because Jordan has an historical role in preserving Jerusalem?s Arab identity and protecting its holy shrines," she said at the launch of the initiative attended by officials including the Jordanian and Palestinian prime ministers.

The peace treaty Israel signed with its Arab neighbour in 1994 recognised the kingdom's role in preserving the religious sites of east Jerusalem.

The wife of King Abdullah II emphasised the importance of the schools initiative in "keeping the Palestinian and Arab identity of Jerusalem."

"We will repair the infrastructure of the schools... try to enlarge them, supply teachers with the necessary training and raise the number of graduates so that they can maintain their unshakable identity and dignity in the face of occupation," the queen said, without mentioning the cost of the project."

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Pupils in east Jerusalem get half funding of those in west

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3876882,00.html

According to opinion written by city's legal advisor, elementary schools in west Jerusalem receive NIS 408 per child, while pupil in east receives just NIS 214. 'These gaps raise fear of discrimination,' he writes. Jerusalem Municipality in response: Advisor using his opinion to promote his political views

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"Does the city of Jerusalem discriminate between educational institutions and students in the east of the city and the west? Absolutely yes, at least according to a professional opinion written by Jerusalem's municipal legal advisor Attorney Yossi Havilio.

In the opinion, written at the behest of Deputy Mayor Joseph (Pepe) Alalo of Meretz, Attorney Havilio presented the following statistic: While the city transfers about NIS 408 (about $110) per pupil to elementary schools in the west, it provides just NIS 214 (about $57) per pupil to schools in the east. These funds include all the school's activities.

"Out of the statistics handed over to me, it can be seen that there is a significant gap in the sums the municipality transfers to education institutions in the west of the city for operating costs and the sums the municipality transfers to schools in the east," wrote Attorney Havilio.

He explained in his opinion piece that the figures were provided to him by the municipal education director.

"My legal opinion is that these gaps raise concerns for alleged discrimination and violation of the principle of equality, which is a basic principle in the state of Israel and the law of Israel. There is concern that this will not stand up in a legal test," wrote the legal advisor."

[Ken Burch]

1. Interesting that ynet would have that story.

And good for them that they do.