Over the weekend, the administration of the Rosary School for Girls, considered one of the most prestigious schools in East Jerusalem, was forced to issue a clarification and apology following an incident in which the Israeli flag was raised at the school.
The storm erupted yesterday when, during a graduation party of high school students, a play was presented on various conflicts around the world, including Russia – Ukraine, the United States – North Korea, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
As part of the play, the students were asked to wave the flags of countries in conflict, but when one of them appeared on stage waving the Israeli flag, a great commotion broke out in the hall.
Parents in the audience rose to their feet and protested at the sight of the Israeli flag while hurling insults against Bihas. The attempts by the Bihas supervisor to calm things down and explain that this was not an act of support for Israel or identification with the Israeli flag, but rather a performance by the students, failed to soften the parents' anger.
In light of the protest that broke out, the school management was forced to stop the performance, but the confrontation did not end. The controversy surrounding the "flag incident" quickly spread to other areas of East Jerusalem. Parents demanded the principal's "head" and called for her dismissal. A group of Palestinian activists organized a march towards Bihas waving the Palestinian flag. They barricaded themselves inside the school over the weekend and announced that they would not leave until the principal responsible for raising the flag at the students' show resigned.
Rosary School in East Jerusalem,
The parents' committees in East Jerusalem neighborhoods said that "there is nothing that can justify the musical performance that included the Israeli flag. This is an insult to the residents of East Jerusalem and the Palestinian people."
The school's principal, Sister Lucy, issued a statement on behalf of the administration and those responsible for the graduation party, expressing "a deep and sincere apology for the misunderstanding that occurred in the hall during one of the performances. We admit that we made a mistake in conveying the message."
The Palestinian Ministry of Education in Ramallah announced on Saturday the establishment of a commission of inquiry to take action against Bihas following the incident. It should be noted that the Palestinian Authority does not have the authority to act against Bihas Rosari, which is located inside Israel and operates under an Israeli license. According to a source in the city, some parents were satisfied with the principal's apology. Dozens of them came to Bihas on Saturday and held a demonstration in support of the principal, sang the Palestinian anthem and waved the Palestinian flag.
The incident comes amid the ongoing debate in East Jerusalem over school curricula. Many parents and activists think that Israel is trying to impose the Israeli curriculum on them as part of what they see as "a plot to Judaize the education system in East Jerusalem."
This is not the first time the school has been caught up in controversial events. A few years ago, the administration canceled a show at a graduation party after Muslim students insisted on wearing a hijab during an end-of-year prom. This was because it was perceived as a challenge to the Christian character of the school.
The school is run by nuns from the Rosary Monastery, and is located in the Beit Hanina neighborhood in north Jerusalem. Most of its students are Muslim.
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