Two systems, one city
While schools across Israel are shut down and national exams postponed indefinitely due to the Iran war, students in East Jerusalem are going ahead with their final exams as if nothing happened
As of Monday, all Israeli matriculation exams have been canceled by the Home Front Command. Some officials are considering pushing them to September, while others suggest replacing them with internal school grades. Meanwhile, most Israeli students – and their parents – are stuck at home
But not in East Jerusalem. There, life follows a different rhythm
Tawjihi goes on – even under fire
In Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank, the final Tawjihi exams are taking place on schedule
The Palestinian Ministry of Education reports that approximately 3,600 students in East Jerusalem are sitting for their exams this week, with tests being held at 32 different exam halls across the city
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Despite missile attacks launched from Iran on Monday morning, the exams began on time in all locations – except one, where Israeli police allegedly delayed students from reaching the building
50,000 students – and no cancellation
Across the West Bank, nearly 50,000 students are taking part in the Tawjihi exams, including 28,000 in the humanities track and 14,000 in science. Over 16,000 exam supervisors are monitoring the process in 512 designated halls
Although Gaza remains under blockade and heavy fire, around 2,000 Gazan students who managed to leave the Strip earlier this year are sitting for exams at Palestinian diplomatic missions in 37 countries
How does this coexist with Israeli policy?
The question remains: how is it that Israeli authorities strictly enforce closures of shops and places of worship – including Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre – but allow thousands of Palestinian students to gather for exams inside the capital?
East Jerusalem remains a city of contradictions – where students take exams under sirens, and two parallel education systems function under one sky
