Israel detains Palestinian education minister in Jerusalem

Israeli authorities on Monday night apprehended the Palestinian Authority's Minister for Education Sabri Saidam for several hours in Jerusalem, before removing him from the city and releasing him in the occupied West Bank.

In an official statement, the Palestinian Ministry for Education said that Saidam was taken by Israeli intelligence officers after he took part in the opening of a school for students with cancer and renal failure in East Jerusalem's Makassed Hospital.

The statement added: "The minister was taken out of Jerusalem through the Hizma checkpoint in the east of the city by police, who ordered the minister not to enter Jerusalem without prior permission."

Read more: Israel is waging war on Palestinian education and schoolchildren

The ministry condemned these practises as a restriction of movement of the Palestinian educational leadership, who are attempting to drastically improve the education system in East Jerusalem.

The ministry called for urgent intervention from international organisations to put an end to Israeli actions which seek to undermine the Palestinian leadership and its people.

This is allegedly the third time the minister has been prevented from entering Jerusalem.

Israel does not allow the Palestinian Authority to finance or sponsor any cultural activities in the city, and routinely prevents activities from taking place there.

Israeli authorities also pursue harsh policies over Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem, revoking entry permits and severely restricting any building work for public or private residences as well as routinely seizing and demolishing property.

This has led to an educational crisis in terms of space. According to The Palestine Campaign, 1,100 additional classrooms are required to accommodate Palestinian children in East Jerusalem and existing facilities are substandard or unsuitable.