Occupied Jerusalem, Aug. 31 (Petra) -- About 45,000 Palestinian students in occupied East Jerusalem will be required to study the Israeli curriculum this academic year, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Monday.

The report noted that the students account for about 38% of the roughly 120,000 students in East Jerusalem who will study the Israeli curriculum this year.

The measure is being implemented for the first time since 1967, following Israel's occupation of Jerusalem. After the occupation, the education system remained linked to curricula used in West Bank schools, which had been based on Jordanian curricula before the adoption of a Palestinian curriculum.

The newspaper said intense Israeli pressure on parents and school administrators has led to a decision requiring all new students entering first and seventh grades in East Jerusalem schools to study the Israeli curriculum.

//Petra// NQ