Destroying the school sign and throwing the Islamic education textbook to the ground... Sukout storms the "Dar Al-Aytam Islamic" School and threatens to close it down
In a controversial move highlighting the increasing targeting of Palestinian schools in Jerusalem, extremist Israeli Knesset member and head of the Knesset Education Committee, Zvi Sukut, entered the Dar Al-Aytam Islamic High School in Jerusalem's Old City, just steps from the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Details of the documented raid and assault:
Social media footage shows Sukut intentionally damaging a ceramic plaque at the historic school's entrance. The plaque featured a map of historical Palestine, its flag, and the Dar Al-Aytam Islamic School’s logo.
Sukut smashed the plaque using a wooden stool, while shouting in Hebrew that "this state (Palestine) does not exist," and directly threatening to close the school completely.
The attack extended beyond damaging school property. Sukut also examined the eighth-grade "Islamic Education” textbook published by the Palestinian Ministry of Education, accusing the school and its administrators on camera of promoting "incendiary curricula" that endorse Palestinian identity, the right of return, and jihad. He argued that teaching these subjects in the center of Jerusalem is illegal and called for immediate action, either by cutting funding or shutting down the school entirely.
Sukot also explicitly threatened to shut down the school, arguing that schools following the Palestinian curriculum help create what he refers to as "terrorists." He called on the Israeli authorities and the Ministry of Education to enforce strict oversight and stop funding any educational institution in East Jerusalem that does not use the Israeli curriculum.
Ongoing provocative raids in Jerusalem and the Palestinian Territories
The raid on the "Dar Al-Aytam Islamic” school is part of a pattern of provocative visits and raids initiated by Tzvi Sukot since he took over as chairman of the Knesset Education Committee. He is leveraging his authority to confront the Arab education sector and try to reshape Palestinian educational institutions.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center has documented the following incidents.
• In July 2026, Sukot tried to storm Al-Najah School and Ibn Sina School in Rahat during the summer break, even though both schools were closed. Israeli police protected him, but residents and local leaders challenged him and insisted he leave, calling his visit provocative and politically motivated.
• In June 2026, he tried to storm several city schools, leading the Parents' Committee to invoke a general strike and shut the schools to block his visit. During this event, he raised the Israeli flag and agitated against the Arab education system.
• In June 2026, he barged into Dar Al-Huda School in the Shu’fat refugee camp in Jerusalem, which includes a school and kindergarten. He directly threatened the administration with funding cuts and closure, accusing the institution of receiving support from banned Islamic organizations.
• In June 2026, a storm affected Kafr Aqab near the schools, with students of the Doha School temporarily held inside due to the presence of Israeli forces. Authorities threatened to shut the schools and withdraw funding if they refused to adopt the Israeli curriculum, accusing these institutions of teaching "incendiary content.”
• In June 2026, Israeli forces raided the "Al-Shamila Muslim Girls' School" in Wadi al-Joz, Jerusalem. Sukot and his team alleged that the school was functioning without approval from the Israeli Ministry of Education and criticized its curriculum and teaching materials. During the raid, they confiscated maps and educational resources and warned of potential closure. The operation took place as high school students sat for their national exams. Sukot tried to force his way into the exam halls, but was stopped by those present.
• In June 2026, he tried to break into a school in Tuba-Zangariya using an electric saw. When he found the gates chained and locked, he refused to give up. Instead, he brought the electric saw and attempted to cut the locks himself to force his way inside, even under police protection.
• In February 2026, he orchestrated a raid on the Al-Lubban al-Sharqiya school in the West Bank, followed by an attack on the girls' secondary school, both under the protection of occupation forces. He threatened staff under the guise of "combating incitement." This escalation reflects the mounting pressure on Palestinian schools in Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied territories, amid efforts to enforce the Israeli curriculum, tighten censorship of Palestinian national content, and threaten to cut funding or close institutions opposing these policies.
