September 16, 1996

His Excellency
Mr. Benyamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister
Jerusalem 91007
Israel

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Peace, health and all good wishes for the New Year! I am writing on behalf of the Administrators and Educators of the Private Christian Schools of Jerusalem in the hope that our faculty members and other essential employees who hold West Bank ID cards will be allowed to come and resume their important work towards the education and formation of our children and young people. It is so important for our little ones and our up and coming young people to receive a good education to form them into responsible and productive members of society.

Unfortunately, though, the already begun 1996-97 school year has started out fraught with difficulties carried over since the Closure of the Occupied Territories. We were in dire need of 150 teachers and essential employees from the West Bank of which half have received their monthly permits. The other half are still waiting to come and take up their duties at school, and this leaves our educational programs and plans in disarray with class cancellations, etc.

In a letter dated March 27, 1996, addressed to your predecessor, Mr. Peres, these problems were outlined, accompanied by a request for special permission for our teachers and essential employees to enter the city, with the assurance that the administrators would provide them with special round trip bus service between their West Bank homes and our private schools.

At an April 27, 1996 meeting between the Heads of Christian Churches and Mr. Shimon Shetreet, Minister of Religious Affairs, at which the problems were discussed and after the meeting, Mr. Shetreet pledged to study the situation to find a solution. Unfortunately, though, the necessary permits were not forthcoming.

The Prime Minister's Bureau replied in a letter of May 26, 1996 that "They are making every effort to alleviate the day to day problems". It was our fervent hope that with the advent of your administration there would be some solution to these problems. While we realize that it would be unreasonable to expect you to be on top of every situation, the problem has nevertheless gone from bad to worse and our children's education remains at a virtual standstill.

The three Patriarchs of the Christian Communities, the Custos of the Holy Land, the Lutheran, Anglican and Coptic Bishops who administer these schools, in their letter of August 23, 1996 desired to call your kind consideration so that our schools may proceed with the education of our children. This letter remains unanswered.

With your help in obtaining permits for our teachers and essential employees, we can solve our current problems. Young people who cannot come to school become bored, restless and tense. Left to themselves, deprived of guidance and association with role models, they easily fall prey to unsavory elements in the streets.

Mindful that access to education and encouragement of positive attitudes are significant factors in our common pursuit of peace and justice for the people of this land, we appeal to your good offices to end the closure of our schools, so that together we may forestall frustration and violence and work for the peace and security of Jerusalem. We surely hope and pray for an immediate answer to this letter.

Respectfully yours,
Fr. Halim Noujaim, OFM
Superintendent
On behalf of Christian Schools in Jerusalem