Some thirty graduates of the al-Quds University nursing school have turned to Israel’s Attorney General, Dr. Avichai Mandelblit after the Ministry of Education has informed them it will not recognize their degree. This means they will not be eligible for a higher paygrade and salary.

In previous cases, some reaching the High Court of Justice, Israel has stated that it accepts the medical degrees from the eastern Jerusalem university but it appears that today, the Ministry of Education has adopted a different policy.

According to attorney Shlomo Lecker, who represents the graduates, the ministry does recognize degrees from universities in Yehuda and Shomron, but for the past 18 months, it has not recognized the graduates of al-Quds, citing many of the graduates in question are Israeli residents who live and work in Israel.

It was Lecker who back in 2009 represented doctors whose degrees were not recognized by the Ministry of Health. After challenging the decision, a probe was launched and Israel decided to accept the al-Quds degrees. Following a number of challenges policy was set in 2014 to accept al-Quds medical degrees but now the Ministry of Education is refusing to do so for the nurses.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)