Israeli Knesset approves making Hebrew and Arabic mandatory in all schools

The Israeli Knesset yesterday approved a bill to make Hebrew and Arabic compulsory for all students from the first grade.

The bill, put forward by Member of the Knesset Oren Hazan of the Likud party, needs to be endorsed during three readings in the Knesset.

Israeli radio said the law aims to strengthen the relationship between Arabs and Jews in Israel. However, a specialist in Israeli affairs, Imad Abu Awwad told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that the bill aims to dissolve the Palestinian presence.

“The bill is not the only component of this scheme which targets the youth sector and the education system,” he said, adding that the Israeli Ministry of Culture wants to destroy Palestinian cultural heritage by putting restrictions on cultural institutions in Arab towns and villages.

Abu Awwad explained that the Israeli government wants to control the educational content in Palestinian schools in Israel especially to manipulate history and “erase its responsibility for the tragedy suffered by the Palestinian people due to the occupation”.