Why US silence on Palestinian academic bans undermines its own values
In June 2025, Israel’s parliament advanced a bill that would bar Palestinian citizens of Israel from working as public-school teachers if they earned degrees from Palestinian universities like Birzeit, Al-Quds, or An-Najah. Supporters claim it protects national security, but critics view it as discriminatory, targeting Arab citizens for studying within their own communities. Despite the serious implications for civil rights and academic freedom, the United States has remained silent. While the US presents itself as a global advocate for human rights and academic liberty, it often adopts a muted stance on Israeli policies affecting Palestinians- revealing not just caution, but a deep moral inconsistency.
A discriminatory measure
The proposed legislation, reported by Haaretz in June 2025: “Knesset Moves to Ban Palestinian-Educated Teachers”, directly impacts thousands. Palestinian universities educate tens of thousands of students annually, a significant portion of whom are Arab citizens of Israel pursuing degrees in education, science, and social services. For many, these institutions offer greater accessibility- geographically, financially, and linguistically- than Israeli universities. Denying these graduates the right to work simply because of where they studied is not a neutral administrative decision; it’s a politically motivated exclusion.
If this policy is enacted, it would violate multiple international standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, both of which Israel has signed. These treaties explicitly guarantee the right to education and non-discrimination in employment.
As highlighted by UNESCO: Higher Education in Palestine – A Statistical Overview, Palestinian universities play a crucial role in providing educational opportunities. Preventing their graduates from employment in their field based solely on their alma mater would not only be discriminatory but also a significant blow to the educational aspirations of an entire community.
The broader context of inequality
More broadly, this proposed law brings to light an uncomfortable truth: Israel maintains structural inequalities between its Jewish and Arab citizens, and these inequalities are increasingly being codified into law. Arab citizens constitute over 20 per cent of Israel’s population, yet they consistently face disparities in housing, employment, education, and political representation.
While Israeli democracy remains robust in many respects, it’s not immune to majoritarian policies that can marginalize minorities. When such measures pass without international scrutiny, they risk becoming normalized. Human Rights Watch’s 2023 report, Human Rights Watch 2023: “A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Apartheid”, details various ways these structural inequalities manifest.
The U.S. has shown no hesitation in condemning similar policies in other nations. For instance, the US State Department 2024: Human Rights Report – Iran harshly criticized Tehran for educational discrimination against ethnic minorities. Similarly, Russia has been called out for suppressing independent academic institutions, as noted in the US State Department 2024: Human Rights Report (You can usually find country-specific sections within this main report). Why, then, is there silence when a strategic ally engages in comparable behavior?
Undermining American credibility
This isn’t merely an issue of foreign policy; this silence actively undermines America’s global credibility. When the US government fails to apply its stated values consistently, it fuels accusations of double standards and erodes its ability to serve as a moral compass in global affairs. In the Middle East, this inconsistency is particularly evident among the region’s youth- especially in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan- who are increasingly skeptical of Western claims to neutrality and justice.
Moreover, this inaction carries tangible, real-world consequences. Policies like the academic employment ban could incentivise further brain drain from Palestinian communities, stifle educational ambition, and entrench long-term inequality. The suppression of educated, civically engaged individuals harms not only Palestinians but also the broader fabric of Israeli society, which benefits immensely from diversity and inclusion within its public institutions.
It’s time for the US to unequivocally reaffirm that educational freedom is not a selectively granted privilege- it is a universal right. The US doesn’t need to issue condemnations or sanctions to make its stance clear. But it must speak. A clear, principled statement expressing concern would demonstrate that academic repression is unacceptable, no matter who carries it out.
Silence, in this context, is not neutrality- it is complicity.
At a time when global democratic norms are under threat, America must decide whether it still truly believes in the principles it claims to uphold. Because the world is watching.
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