On Sunday 14th June, the Jerusalem District Court overturned the Ministry of Education’s decision to remove the Parents Circle – Families Forum’s school dialogue initiative from the Ministry’s approved list of external educational programmes, allowing schools to once again invite the group’s ‘Dialogue Meetings – From Pain to Hope’ sessions.

In response to a petition filed by the Forum and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the court ruled that the Ministry had not presented a sufficient factual or legal basis for disqualifying the programme. It found that the Ministry had failed to demonstrate that the programme was inconsistent with the aims of state education or otherwise inappropriate in a way that would justify its removal from the list. The court also rejected the Ministry’s claim that the programme creates an inappropriate comparison between Israeli and Palestinian bereavement, stating instead that it focuses on the experience of loss and the possibility of dialogue. 

This ruling is a significant victory for freedom of expression and for education that promotes peace, dialogue and hope. PCFF will continue visiting schools, sharing the stories of its bereaved members, and encouraging students to believe that a different path is possible.

February 2026, during the court proceedings:

“The Ministry of Education admitted that 17–18-year-old students are considered old enough to serve in the army — but not old enough to be exposed to critical thinking or to engage with peace education.”  - Ayelet Harel, Parents Circle Co-Director 

In court with Mor Ynon (PCFF Board Chair), Ayelet Harel (PCFF Co-Director), and Tal Hassin (ACRI Attorney), 09.02.26