Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar has decided to open east Jerusalem up to school trips - on his demand, defense officials have agreed to allow students to tour heritage sites that have been off-limits up until now due to security considerations
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The education minister supplied funds for the additional school trips by founding a project called "Ascend to Jerusalem", explaining that the trips were important for teaching children national history.
However, the newly funded trips took place mostly in the western part of the capital. In its eastern parts, students were only allowed to visit the Western Wall, its tunnels, and the Old City.
The defense establishment prohibited visits to sites in the east of the city because they were deemed too dangerous.
But Sa'ar managed to convincie officials to allow access to the eastern sites.
"I am convinced that getting to know Jerusalem firsthand will contribute to the deepening of the affiliation felt by future generations for the Jewish people's eternal capital," the minister said.
Now, in addition to sites like Yad Vashem Holocaust Museaum, the Supreme Court, and the Knesset, Israeli children will tour Jerusalem's walls from the Jaffa Gate to the Lions' Gate, the Jewish cemetery at the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, the Valley of the Kings, the Tomb of Absalom, Zedekiah's Cave, and the City of David.
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