10 jan 2016
The Israeli government’s nomination of Dani Dayan as its next ambassador to Brazil, and Brazil’s delay in approving the appointment, is heightening diplomatic tensions between the two governments.
One of the Brazilian government’s main criticisms over the chosen Israeli ambassador is that Benjamin Netanyahu skipped all diplomatic protocols when announcing Dayan’s appointment: it was not preceded by any communication with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry nor any presentation of his credentials for an agreement.
Furthermore, according to the PNN, it does not help that Dayan is the former head of the Yesha Council, a representative body of illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which Brazil considers an impediment to the creation of a future Palestinian state.
Speaking about the issue, Dayan stated in a recent interview:
“This is taking things to a new level. This is the first time a country is labeling people. The E.U. ambassador in Israel told me that while they are against the settlements as a government policy, they are not against the people who live there.”
Despite Israel’s government efforts to maintain Dayan’s appointment, on January 8, a group of 40 retired Brazilian diplomats signed a statement against it, restating discontentment with the way he was announced and with his role in the settlement movement.
“There is an initial surprise with the proposal of this gentleman as ambassador, for what he represents. But this surprise gained another dimension when it was done the way it was done,” said a Brazilian government official with 20 years of diplomatic experience, who spoke to an American news outlet on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to discuss the subject publicly.
Below is a translation of the Brazilian diplomats’ statement:
"We, the retired diplomats undersigned, remembering Ambassador Luís Martins de Sousa Dantas, who saved hundreds of Jews from the Holocaust; pride of the role played;
We, the retired diplomats undersigned, remembering Ambassador Luís Martins’ memory representing Brazil at the United Nations when, with Osvaldo Aranha as the President of the UN General Assembly, the creation of the State of Israel was approved;
We consider it unacceptable that the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has publicly announced the name of the person he intended to appoint as his country’s new Ambassador to Brazil before submitting it, in accordance to the norm, to our Government. This rupture with a diplomatic practice seems to have been on purpose, an attempt to establish facts, since the appointed, Dani Dayan, between 2007 and 2013, was the President of the Yesha Council, responsible for the settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal by the international community, and has already declared himself contrary to the creation of the Palestinian State, which counts on the support of the Brazilian Government and was already recognized by over 70% of the UN member States.
Under these conditions, we support the Brazilian Government’s position on this issue and wish that the current episode is quickly overcome, so we can, together, strengthen the bonds between the two countries in a historical moment in which the conciliatory spirit becomes imperative."
One of the Brazilian government’s main criticisms over the chosen Israeli ambassador is that Benjamin Netanyahu skipped all diplomatic protocols when announcing Dayan’s appointment: it was not preceded by any communication with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry nor any presentation of his credentials for an agreement.
Furthermore, according to the PNN, it does not help that Dayan is the former head of the Yesha Council, a representative body of illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which Brazil considers an impediment to the creation of a future Palestinian state.
Speaking about the issue, Dayan stated in a recent interview:
“This is taking things to a new level. This is the first time a country is labeling people. The E.U. ambassador in Israel told me that while they are against the settlements as a government policy, they are not against the people who live there.”
Despite Israel’s government efforts to maintain Dayan’s appointment, on January 8, a group of 40 retired Brazilian diplomats signed a statement against it, restating discontentment with the way he was announced and with his role in the settlement movement.
“There is an initial surprise with the proposal of this gentleman as ambassador, for what he represents. But this surprise gained another dimension when it was done the way it was done,” said a Brazilian government official with 20 years of diplomatic experience, who spoke to an American news outlet on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to discuss the subject publicly.
Below is a translation of the Brazilian diplomats’ statement:
"We, the retired diplomats undersigned, remembering Ambassador Luís Martins de Sousa Dantas, who saved hundreds of Jews from the Holocaust; pride of the role played;
We, the retired diplomats undersigned, remembering Ambassador Luís Martins’ memory representing Brazil at the United Nations when, with Osvaldo Aranha as the President of the UN General Assembly, the creation of the State of Israel was approved;
We consider it unacceptable that the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, has publicly announced the name of the person he intended to appoint as his country’s new Ambassador to Brazil before submitting it, in accordance to the norm, to our Government. This rupture with a diplomatic practice seems to have been on purpose, an attempt to establish facts, since the appointed, Dani Dayan, between 2007 and 2013, was the President of the Yesha Council, responsible for the settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal by the international community, and has already declared himself contrary to the creation of the Palestinian State, which counts on the support of the Brazilian Government and was already recognized by over 70% of the UN member States.
Under these conditions, we support the Brazilian Government’s position on this issue and wish that the current episode is quickly overcome, so we can, together, strengthen the bonds between the two countries in a historical moment in which the conciliatory spirit becomes imperative."
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Adhemar Bahadian
Amaury Porto de Oliveira Armando Victor Boisson Cardoso Brian Michael Fraser Neele Carlos Alberto Leite Barbosa Carlos Eduardo Alves de Souza Christiano Whitaker Edgar Telles Ribeiro Fernando Guimarães Reis Fernando Silva Alves Geraldo Holanda Cavalcanti Heloisa Vilhena de Araujo Hildebrando Tadeu Valladares Janine-Monique Bustani Joaquim A. Whitaker Salles Jorio Dauster José Maurício Bustani José Viegas Filho Julio Cesar Gomes dos Santos Luciano Rosa |
Luiz Augusto de Castro Neves
Luiz Fachini-Gomes Luiz Felipe Lampreia Luiz Orlando Carone Gelio Marcílio Marques Moreira Marcio Dias Maria Celina Azevedo Rodrigues Oswaldo Portella Roberto Abdenur Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg Samuel Pinheiro Guimarães Sergio Fernando Guarischi Bath Sergio A. Florencio Sobrinho Sergio Henrique Nabuco de Castro Sergio Serra Stelio Amarante Thereza Quintella Vera Pedrosa Virgílio Moretzsohn de Andrade Washington Luis P. Sousa” |
Meanwhile, in Brazil, solidarity with the Palestinians against Israel's illegal occupation and for a free and independent Palestinian State is growing, despite the national media’s simplistic and overall biased coverage.
Recently, a BDS (Boycott, Divestments & Sanctions) campaign was launched to alert two of the main popular singers in Brazil, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, who sang in Tel Aviv last year.
They traveled despite the campaigns, but later, Veloso published an article condemning the Israeli occupation, saying he would never go back to Israel, and received heavy criticism from a portion of the Jewish community.
See: Brazil Refuses Israeli Settler as Diplomatic Envoy
Recently, a BDS (Boycott, Divestments & Sanctions) campaign was launched to alert two of the main popular singers in Brazil, Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, who sang in Tel Aviv last year.
They traveled despite the campaigns, but later, Veloso published an article condemning the Israeli occupation, saying he would never go back to Israel, and received heavy criticism from a portion of the Jewish community.
See: Brazil Refuses Israeli Settler as Diplomatic Envoy
7 jan 2016
Greek Aegean airlines on Wednesday apologized to PLO Secretary-General Saeb Erekat for the forced removal of two Palestinians from a flight.
CEO of the Greek airline, Dimitris Gerogiannis, sent a letter to Erekat expressing the airline’s “greatest regret” after a group of Jewish Israelis reportedly pressured cabin crew earlier this week to force the Palestinians on board to disembark.
According to Israeli media reports, the group said the two Palestinians -- both citizens of Israel -- constituted a “security risk” and prevented the flight from taking off until the two were removed from the aircraft.
PLO Secretary-General in response expressed “outrage” at the “discrimination and prejudice at the hands of the Aegean cabin crew.”
“We call upon the Greek government to take strong action against this racist act,” Erekat said following the incident, adding that the move was reminiscent of apartheid-era South Africa, “which is not different than the policies carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians under the pretext of ‘security.”
Aegean CEO in reply to Erekat’s statement acknowledged that “there was unwarranted and indeed unfair continued reaction by a large group of passengers,”
Gerogiannis’ letter concluded: “Again we regret the whole event, once which is quite unprecedented in our experience despite flying for many years to the Middle East.”
CEO of the Greek airline, Dimitris Gerogiannis, sent a letter to Erekat expressing the airline’s “greatest regret” after a group of Jewish Israelis reportedly pressured cabin crew earlier this week to force the Palestinians on board to disembark.
According to Israeli media reports, the group said the two Palestinians -- both citizens of Israel -- constituted a “security risk” and prevented the flight from taking off until the two were removed from the aircraft.
PLO Secretary-General in response expressed “outrage” at the “discrimination and prejudice at the hands of the Aegean cabin crew.”
“We call upon the Greek government to take strong action against this racist act,” Erekat said following the incident, adding that the move was reminiscent of apartheid-era South Africa, “which is not different than the policies carried out by the Israeli government against Palestinians under the pretext of ‘security.”
Aegean CEO in reply to Erekat’s statement acknowledged that “there was unwarranted and indeed unfair continued reaction by a large group of passengers,”
Gerogiannis’ letter concluded: “Again we regret the whole event, once which is quite unprecedented in our experience despite flying for many years to the Middle East.”
6 jan 2016
On Wednesday, the Israeli parliament will discuss the "law of the Sabbath," a new law that aims to ban all trade on the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is a holy day in Judaism during which agricultural, industrial and commercial activities are prohibited.
The bill was proposed by Likud MK, Miky Zohar, and adopted by the Council of Ministers. It seeks to ban businesses opening on Saturdays without special permission from the Economy Minister. Violating the ban would be considered "an injustice against citizens." Business owners will be able to file a claim against franchise operators who force businesses to open on the day of rest.
For Zohar, the law is not about religious coercion, but the defense of "social rights and the Jewish character of Israel.
"To be a Jew it is necessary that your mother is a Jew. But, a nation that wants to endure must have a tradition, a way and principles," Zohar said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper, The Marker.
"If you lose your tradition, your way and your principles, you will end up becoming something else," he continued, adding, "if Israel is a democratic state, the existence of this nation would be in danger."
The Likud legislator made it clear that he not only opposes a democratic project, but also sees the ideas of the Enlightenment as disastrous for the Jewish people.
"We are still paying the price for adhering to the ideas of the Enlightenment," he explained, stressing that "if we give up the Jewish idea our children will be living in a democratic country."
"I say: Israel could easily transform into a democratic country within a few decades and this would jeopardize the existence of the Jewish people."
"I will continue fighting for the existence of the Jewish people," Zohar concluded.
Zohar was elected to the Israeli parliament in the March 2015 elections. He previously served as president of basketball club Maccabi Kiryat Gat.
AIC archives: Netanyahu Renews Efforts to Define Israel as Jewish State
The Sabbath is a holy day in Judaism during which agricultural, industrial and commercial activities are prohibited.
The bill was proposed by Likud MK, Miky Zohar, and adopted by the Council of Ministers. It seeks to ban businesses opening on Saturdays without special permission from the Economy Minister. Violating the ban would be considered "an injustice against citizens." Business owners will be able to file a claim against franchise operators who force businesses to open on the day of rest.
For Zohar, the law is not about religious coercion, but the defense of "social rights and the Jewish character of Israel.
"To be a Jew it is necessary that your mother is a Jew. But, a nation that wants to endure must have a tradition, a way and principles," Zohar said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper, The Marker.
"If you lose your tradition, your way and your principles, you will end up becoming something else," he continued, adding, "if Israel is a democratic state, the existence of this nation would be in danger."
The Likud legislator made it clear that he not only opposes a democratic project, but also sees the ideas of the Enlightenment as disastrous for the Jewish people.
"We are still paying the price for adhering to the ideas of the Enlightenment," he explained, stressing that "if we give up the Jewish idea our children will be living in a democratic country."
"I say: Israel could easily transform into a democratic country within a few decades and this would jeopardize the existence of the Jewish people."
"I will continue fighting for the existence of the Jewish people," Zohar concluded.
Zohar was elected to the Israeli parliament in the March 2015 elections. He previously served as president of basketball club Maccabi Kiryat Gat.
AIC archives: Netanyahu Renews Efforts to Define Israel as Jewish State
5 jan 2016
On January 4th, a number of Israeli tourists on an Aegean Airline plane flying from Athens to Tel Aviv announced that they would not let the plane take off unless two Palestinian passengers from East Jerusalem disembarked.
The incident occurred when a number of Israeli passengers discovered that two passengers on the plane were Palestinians from East Jerusalem.
The Israeli passengers informed a flight attendant of the two passengers and said that they would prohibit the plane from taking off with the Palestinians on board.
When the captain shut the cabin door and indicated that the plane was ready for takeoff, the Israelis stood up. Since it is forbidden to take off with standing passengers, the captain stopped the plane.
According to the Israeli Radio station, Voice of Israel, others on the plane were shocked and did not understand what the Israeli passengers wanted. The passengers and flight crew debated for an hour.
When the team realized that the Israelis were set on continuing their protest, they offered the two Palestinian passengers a night in a hotel and the same flight the following day. The passengers agreed and exited the flight.
Nevertheless, the Israeli passengers demanded an additional security check of the plane.
The captain informed the passengers that they were free to leave the flight, without compensation from Aegean Airline.
The Israeli passengers went back to their seats and the plane took off.
The incident occurred when a number of Israeli passengers discovered that two passengers on the plane were Palestinians from East Jerusalem.
The Israeli passengers informed a flight attendant of the two passengers and said that they would prohibit the plane from taking off with the Palestinians on board.
When the captain shut the cabin door and indicated that the plane was ready for takeoff, the Israelis stood up. Since it is forbidden to take off with standing passengers, the captain stopped the plane.
According to the Israeli Radio station, Voice of Israel, others on the plane were shocked and did not understand what the Israeli passengers wanted. The passengers and flight crew debated for an hour.
When the team realized that the Israelis were set on continuing their protest, they offered the two Palestinian passengers a night in a hotel and the same flight the following day. The passengers agreed and exited the flight.
Nevertheless, the Israeli passengers demanded an additional security check of the plane.
The captain informed the passengers that they were free to leave the flight, without compensation from Aegean Airline.
The Israeli passengers went back to their seats and the plane took off.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Makarim Wibisono, yesterday submitted his resignation to the President of the Human Rights Council after Israel had repeatedly denied him access to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) stresses that Israel's continuous banning of Special Rapporteurs from entering the oPt is part of the Israeli policy to conceal the truth relevant to the commission of war crimes and grave violations of human rights against the Palestinians, who are the original owners of the land.
Moreover, PCHR highlights that the international community should take a serious position to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and to put an end to the Israeli non-compliance with the international law.
Mr. Wibisono mentioned in his resignation that repeated requests for access, both written and oral, had been unsuccessful for over 18 months. He also did not receive any reply from Israel to his latest request in October 2015.
Furthermore, Mr. Wibisono underscored that his mandate would not be fulfilled without having direct access to the Palestinian victims in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way… It is my sincere hope that whoever succeeds me will manage to resolve the current impasse, and so reassure the Palestinian people that after nearly half a century of occupation the world has not forgotten their plight and that universal human rights are indeed universal," said Mr. Wibisono.
Mr. Wibisono will present his last report to the 31st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2016. This report concludes his only 21-month mandate for which he was assigned by the Human Rights Council in June 2014. His resignation will be put into effect on 13 March 2016.
The Israeli authorities continued to deny the Special Rapporteurs access to the oPt, as according to the spokesperson of Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the oPt that was approved by 47 Member States in the Human Rights Council is "biased and distorted".
This was also agreed on by Israel's ally the USA. In addition, Israel kept banning Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur, from entering the oPt during his 6-year mandate.
It should be mentioned that the Special Rapporteur's Mandate is part of the UN Mechanisms to protect human rights pursuant to a Mechanism known as "Special Procedures".
The Special Procedures include independent human rights experts carrying out their duties free of charge with mandates to report human rights violations from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
The Human Rights Council established the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the oPt in 1993 and the mandate has so far been renewed.
PCHR denounces banning the Special Rapporteur from entering the oPt and the international community's negativity that renders Israel as an outlaw State.
This ban comes as part of a series of obstacles imposed by the Israeli authorities before all UN inquiry missions; the last of which was the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission following the 2014 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
PCHR warns against the Israeli practices, which reflect the size of Israeli crimes against Palestinians and efforts made to hide those crimes from the world.
PCHR also calls upon:
1. The International community to pressurize Israel to allow the unconditional entry of all UN missions to the oPt;
2. The Human Rights Council and all international mechanisms to exert extra efforts to convey the reality of Israeli violations against Palestinians to the whole world;
3. The UN to activate its human rights mechanisms to face the blatant Israeli challenge of UN Mechanisms and violation of Palestinian rights in the oPt; and
4. All the competent parties at the international level to put an end to the impunity granted to Israel that led to the increase of violations against Palestinians.
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) stresses that Israel's continuous banning of Special Rapporteurs from entering the oPt is part of the Israeli policy to conceal the truth relevant to the commission of war crimes and grave violations of human rights against the Palestinians, who are the original owners of the land.
Moreover, PCHR highlights that the international community should take a serious position to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and to put an end to the Israeli non-compliance with the international law.
Mr. Wibisono mentioned in his resignation that repeated requests for access, both written and oral, had been unsuccessful for over 18 months. He also did not receive any reply from Israel to his latest request in October 2015.
Furthermore, Mr. Wibisono underscored that his mandate would not be fulfilled without having direct access to the Palestinian victims in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
"Unfortunately, my efforts to help improve the lives of Palestinian victims of violations under the Israeli occupation have been frustrated every step of the way… It is my sincere hope that whoever succeeds me will manage to resolve the current impasse, and so reassure the Palestinian people that after nearly half a century of occupation the world has not forgotten their plight and that universal human rights are indeed universal," said Mr. Wibisono.
Mr. Wibisono will present his last report to the 31st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March 2016. This report concludes his only 21-month mandate for which he was assigned by the Human Rights Council in June 2014. His resignation will be put into effect on 13 March 2016.
The Israeli authorities continued to deny the Special Rapporteurs access to the oPt, as according to the spokesperson of Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the oPt that was approved by 47 Member States in the Human Rights Council is "biased and distorted".
This was also agreed on by Israel's ally the USA. In addition, Israel kept banning Richard Falk, former UN Special Rapporteur, from entering the oPt during his 6-year mandate.
It should be mentioned that the Special Rapporteur's Mandate is part of the UN Mechanisms to protect human rights pursuant to a Mechanism known as "Special Procedures".
The Special Procedures include independent human rights experts carrying out their duties free of charge with mandates to report human rights violations from a thematic or country-specific perspective.
The Human Rights Council established the position of Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the oPt in 1993 and the mandate has so far been renewed.
PCHR denounces banning the Special Rapporteur from entering the oPt and the international community's negativity that renders Israel as an outlaw State.
This ban comes as part of a series of obstacles imposed by the Israeli authorities before all UN inquiry missions; the last of which was the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission following the 2014 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
PCHR warns against the Israeli practices, which reflect the size of Israeli crimes against Palestinians and efforts made to hide those crimes from the world.
PCHR also calls upon:
1. The International community to pressurize Israel to allow the unconditional entry of all UN missions to the oPt;
2. The Human Rights Council and all international mechanisms to exert extra efforts to convey the reality of Israeli violations against Palestinians to the whole world;
3. The UN to activate its human rights mechanisms to face the blatant Israeli challenge of UN Mechanisms and violation of Palestinian rights in the oPt; and
4. All the competent parties at the international level to put an end to the impunity granted to Israel that led to the increase of violations against Palestinians.
4 jan 2016
The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights, Adalah, has attributed the rising poverty rate among the Palestinian citizens in the 1948 occupied lands to Israel's discrimination policy.
In a recent report titled "The Poor and the Poorest," Adalah stated that the high poverty rate among Arab citizens is not the result of a general government policy that is unable to eradicate poverty, but it is closely linked to the deep-seated and institutionalized discrimination policy pursued by the government against the Arab community.
Adalah also highlighted the inaccuracies in the 2014 poverty index report, which was issued by the Israeli government's national insurance institute in mid-December.
It affirmed that the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian community in the 1948 occupied lands are much worse and more tragic than what has been mentioned in the institute's report.
The human rights group pointed out that the government report, for example, claimed that the poverty rate among the Arab families rose from 51.7 percent in 2013 to 52.6 percent in 2014, while these figures contradicted data in the 2013 report which mentioned that the poverty rate was 47.4 and not 51.7 percent.
In a recent report titled "The Poor and the Poorest," Adalah stated that the high poverty rate among Arab citizens is not the result of a general government policy that is unable to eradicate poverty, but it is closely linked to the deep-seated and institutionalized discrimination policy pursued by the government against the Arab community.
Adalah also highlighted the inaccuracies in the 2014 poverty index report, which was issued by the Israeli government's national insurance institute in mid-December.
It affirmed that the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian community in the 1948 occupied lands are much worse and more tragic than what has been mentioned in the institute's report.
The human rights group pointed out that the government report, for example, claimed that the poverty rate among the Arab families rose from 51.7 percent in 2013 to 52.6 percent in 2014, while these figures contradicted data in the 2013 report which mentioned that the poverty rate was 47.4 and not 51.7 percent.
1 jan 2016
Israeli Minister of Education Naftali Bennett-at-KB-4
The Israeli Ministry of Education has banned “Borderline” from use in high schools.
The Ministry explained its decision to ban Dorit Rabinya's “Borderline” from high schools as to maintain “the identity and heritage of students in every sector” and out of concern that “intimate relations between Jews and non-Jews threatens the separate identity.”
“Borderline” tells the story of a Jewish Israeli translator and a Palestinian artist falling in love in New York before eventually returning to Tel Aviv and Ramallah, respectively.
The Ministry also asserted that “young people of adolescent age don’t have the systemic view that includes considerations involving maintaining the national-ethnic identity of the people and the significance of miscegenation.”
Education Minister and member of the right-wing Jewish Home party, Naftali Bennett, approved of the decision.
Rabinya’s “Borderlife” has enjoyed critical acclaim. The book won this year’s Bernstein Prize for young writers – an annual Israeli literary prize. Furthermore, according to Haaretz, a large number of literature teachers requested that “Borderlife” be approved for use in advanced literature classes.
Middle East Eye reported that Shlomo Herzig, the head of literary studies at the ministry, appealed the decision. Herzig commented: “the acute problem of Israeli society today is the terrible ignorance and racism that is spreading in it, and not concern over intermarriage."
Herzig’s appeal was denied.
The ministry’s decision to ban Borderline from high schools is reflective of the Israeli government’s methodical efforts to not only entrench the occupation, but also to restrict public discourse so that the next generation of Israelis approves of it.
The Israeli Ministry of Education has banned “Borderline” from use in high schools.
The Ministry explained its decision to ban Dorit Rabinya's “Borderline” from high schools as to maintain “the identity and heritage of students in every sector” and out of concern that “intimate relations between Jews and non-Jews threatens the separate identity.”
“Borderline” tells the story of a Jewish Israeli translator and a Palestinian artist falling in love in New York before eventually returning to Tel Aviv and Ramallah, respectively.
The Ministry also asserted that “young people of adolescent age don’t have the systemic view that includes considerations involving maintaining the national-ethnic identity of the people and the significance of miscegenation.”
Education Minister and member of the right-wing Jewish Home party, Naftali Bennett, approved of the decision.
Rabinya’s “Borderlife” has enjoyed critical acclaim. The book won this year’s Bernstein Prize for young writers – an annual Israeli literary prize. Furthermore, according to Haaretz, a large number of literature teachers requested that “Borderlife” be approved for use in advanced literature classes.
Middle East Eye reported that Shlomo Herzig, the head of literary studies at the ministry, appealed the decision. Herzig commented: “the acute problem of Israeli society today is the terrible ignorance and racism that is spreading in it, and not concern over intermarriage."
Herzig’s appeal was denied.
The ministry’s decision to ban Borderline from high schools is reflective of the Israeli government’s methodical efforts to not only entrench the occupation, but also to restrict public discourse so that the next generation of Israelis approves of it.
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