Hebrew Studies amongst Palestinians in East Jerusalem: Not 'Language of Success' but 'Language of Access'

This article examines Hebrew language education amongst Palestinian students in East Jerusalem with a focus on student perceptions and rationales for learning Hebrew. Findings are based on a survey conducted in 2019 amongst 387 students aged 12–14 at an intermediate Palestinian public girl’s school in the Al-‘Issawiyya village of East Jerusalem. The study uncovered two primary motivations for mastering Hebrew; both are practical as opposed to political. Firstly, the students pointed to difficulties in overcoming the physical and economic barrier which separates East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank – particularly in light of the separation wall. Secondly, the students believe that Hebrew proficiency has practical value in integration into the Israeli labor market. These practical motivations are driven by the need to work in Israel in order to survive and the fact that the Israeli labor market is the most viable option for them. Notably, participation in Israeli society was not a motivation for learning Hebrew. While explicating motivations for studying Hebrew, this article will also analyze and shed light on what this indicates about the status of East Jerusalem Palestinians vis-à-vis Israeli society.