Christian schools in Israel have been on strike since 1 September, as a result of budget cuts imposed on the schools.
This week, the patriarchs and heads of local churches in Jerusalem released a statement, saying in part:
It hurts to see 33,000 students from all faiths and denominations out of their classrooms, while hundreds of teachers and employees are watching their schools empty. This situation is a grave inconvenience to the parents as their children remain at home, while education is a basic human right that no child should be denied.
The struggle for justice and equality for our schools started almost two years ago, after serious budget cuts imposed upon our schools caused a financial deficit. Negotiations between the Office of Christian Schools in Israel and the Ministry of Education failed and all solutions presented by the Ministry were unrealistic and would cause further financial burden on parents of our students.
…The struggle of our schools is a just cause, in seeking not only equal rights, but also recognition of the outstanding services that are offered.
You can read the full statement here.