Striking Christian schools take protest to finance minister

Some 300 parents of Israeli Christian pupils demonstrated outside the Haifa home of Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon on Saturday to voice their dismay over an ongoing funding dispute that has left Christian schools across the country shuttered since the beginning of the school year.

Protesters claimed their schools receive less funding than do Jewish schools due to discrimination, and held up banners highlighting the plight of 33,000 pupils from 47 schools who are still waiting to start their studies.

Protests have also been held in Jerusalem, Ramle, Nazareth, and Shfaram.

Last Monday, some 450,000 Arab Israeli pupils stayed home as their schools called a strike in solidarity with Christian schools.

The schools, most of which are run by the Roman Catholic church but which also include Protestant and Orthodox institutions, have been on strike since the school year started on September 1.

School officials say they receive less than one-third of the subsidies Israel provides equivalent Jewish schools, and that their strike will continue until their demands are met.

One group of parents of Christian pupils set up a Facebook protest page aimed at Education Minister Naftali Bennett. Under the title “Don’t Sacrifice Me, Bennett,” the page features pictures of young children posing as if crucified against a background of a drawn crucifix, reminiscent of the traditional image of Jesus on the Cross.

The Christian schools are recognized by the state, but do not have official status as do Jewish public schools. They therefore receive less funding and have more control over curriculum.

A meeting last week between striking school officials and the director of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, as well as education and finance ministry officials, failed to resolve the dispute.

Christians say that their 65-percent state budgeting was cut to 34% two years ago before being reduced to its current level of 29%.

The state’s offer to return the funding up to 34%, and to allow parents to fund the balance, was rejected by the principals, clergy and parents, who demand the full funding they say Jewish schools get.

The Education Ministry has reiterated its assertion that there is no difference in the funding of Christian and Jewish schools of recognized but unofficial status. It noted last week that Christians had been offered a number of ways to resolve the differences but had rejected them while choosing to close the schools “at the pupils’ expense.”

AFP contributed to this report.