Palestinian sources reported that the school teachers’ strike has ended, following more than 2 months of intense protests against the Government’s inability to pay their wages due to a US-led boycott of the Palestinian Authority. The Government has been unable to pay public sector wages since Hamas took office in March 2006.

Following lengthy negotiations over the past few days, Palestinian governmental schools will officially open their doors on next Saturday morning. Teachers were promised an initial payment of NIS 1,000 on their first day back to work, with the remainder of their November salary to be paid out in two weeks’ time. A system for paying salaries retroactively will be instituted as of January 2007.

The news was received with glee from children whose summer vacation threatened to spread through the winter months. Civil society leaders and parents had voiced their concern about Palestinian children missing out on their education, and its ramifications on the overall development of Palestinian society.

It is yet unclear whether or not the school year will be prolonged, or whether teaching hours would be lengthened in order to compensate for lost time. Private schools, on the other hand, have been in session since September, and are slated to end the school year in mid-June on schedule.

Palestinian schools have equally suffered under severe Israeli measures, whereby incursions and military assaults have obstructed the education process in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.