Ramallah: Israeli authorities have denied the Palestinian Education Minister Sabri Saydam entry into Gaza.
No official reason was given for the decision but observers believe it may be to punish him for his resistance to Israeli attempts to “modify” the Palestinian curriculum in schools which Israel considers as “anti-Israeli”.
Since Israel captured the eastern part of Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, it has attempted to force Palestinian schools to adopt the Israeli curriculum.
In exchange, the Israeli regime promises to renovate existing facilities and furnish other facilities for occupied East Jerusalem schools.
Israel also promises Palestinian students who attend these schools easier access to Israeli universities.
The regime has forced the closure of some schools in Occupied Jerusalem who refuse to change its curriculum.
Gaza-based analysts Talal Okal believes another reason why Saydam was refused entry was to steal the limelight away from a reconciliation deal recently reached between authorities in the West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip over Al Aqsa University.
The Israeli regime thrives on Palestinian division and will try to smear or obstruct any achievements towards cooperation, Okal believes.
In 2015, the Ramallah education ministry which is part of the consensus government of the Palestinian National Authority and the Gaza education ministry moved to appoint a new acting president to the university.
The Ramallah education ministry later withdrew its recognition of the university and warned students that their certificates would not be attested by the Palestinian Ministry of Education.
The decision left fate of 27,000 students uncertain.
After lengthy negotiations, the dispute was later resolved as the parties agreed to appoint Kamal Al Shurafi as the university president.
Saydam was planning to announce the end of a year-long dispute during his Gaza visit.
