8 sept 2019
Sefy Bililin with her 3-year-old daughter
Sefty Bililin says Kiryat Gat municipality placed her three-year-old in all-black kindergarten located next to facility to which she had applied, but which turned out to be for white children only
The mother of a 3-year-old child from Kiryat Gat, has claimed her daughter was put in an all-black preschool, right next to an all-white preschool, in the southern city of Kiryat Gat.
"The school looked impressive and well-maintained," wrote Sefy Bililin on Facebook. "My daughter got very excited and fell in love with the kindergarten. Suddenly, the teacher came to me and said she'd check if my daughter was signed up to this kindergarten."
Bililin claims that although she signed her daughter up the child was not on the list.
"The teacher told me to check at the adjacent religious state preschool," Bililin wrote.
She then went to the other kindergarten and was surprised to find out that the children at the preschool were all of Ethiopian descent, while the children at the first school were white-skinned.
"It pained me that the children experience racism at such a young age. They haven't wronged anyone. They shouldn't feel different. Unfortunately, it turned out that the kindergartens were segregated by the children's skin color," she wrote.
Bililin said that since the incident, she has been going to the city hall every day, trying to move her daughter to a different preschool, but so far, to no avail.
"I was accused of racism by the municipality," she says. "I asked to move my daughter to a different preschool, but I was only offered distant preschool with no bus service."
Sefty Bililin says Kiryat Gat municipality placed her three-year-old in all-black kindergarten located next to facility to which she had applied, but which turned out to be for white children only
The mother of a 3-year-old child from Kiryat Gat, has claimed her daughter was put in an all-black preschool, right next to an all-white preschool, in the southern city of Kiryat Gat.
"The school looked impressive and well-maintained," wrote Sefy Bililin on Facebook. "My daughter got very excited and fell in love with the kindergarten. Suddenly, the teacher came to me and said she'd check if my daughter was signed up to this kindergarten."
Bililin claims that although she signed her daughter up the child was not on the list.
"The teacher told me to check at the adjacent religious state preschool," Bililin wrote.
She then went to the other kindergarten and was surprised to find out that the children at the preschool were all of Ethiopian descent, while the children at the first school were white-skinned.
"It pained me that the children experience racism at such a young age. They haven't wronged anyone. They shouldn't feel different. Unfortunately, it turned out that the kindergartens were segregated by the children's skin color," she wrote.
Bililin said that since the incident, she has been going to the city hall every day, trying to move her daughter to a different preschool, but so far, to no avail.
"I was accused of racism by the municipality," she says. "I asked to move my daughter to a different preschool, but I was only offered distant preschool with no bus service."
Ethiopian-Israelis demonstrate against racism in Tel Aviv
Kiryat Gat municipality strongly rejected any claims of racial segregation.
"Registration for kindergarten is done by computer, according to geographical area, parental requests and preferences for state and religious state preschools," the council said.
"Parents of children in these kindergartens were offered other options farther away from their area of residence, and they refused and demanded kindergartens nearby."
The Ministry of Education said in response that the ministry's director for the southern district, Ram Zahavi, had summoned municipal representatives to an urgent meeting on the issue.
"Lack of integration of students of Ethiopian descent with the rest of the population goes against the values of the Education Ministry," it said. "The ministry implements a clear policy that integrates the Ethiopian community with all students across all frameworks.
"This year, the ministry is implementing processes to strengthen the sense of belonging of Ethiopian students and to root out any alienation, exclusion or racism."
Education Minister Rafi Peretz also issued a response condemning any form of segregation.
"Separation in kindergartens on a sectarian basis is not our way. It is immoral, and we oppose it strongly," said Peretz.
"Lack of integration of the Ethiopian community with the rest of the population is not educational, not Jewish and not Israeli."
Kiryat Gat municipality strongly rejected any claims of racial segregation.
"Registration for kindergarten is done by computer, according to geographical area, parental requests and preferences for state and religious state preschools," the council said.
"Parents of children in these kindergartens were offered other options farther away from their area of residence, and they refused and demanded kindergartens nearby."
The Ministry of Education said in response that the ministry's director for the southern district, Ram Zahavi, had summoned municipal representatives to an urgent meeting on the issue.
"Lack of integration of students of Ethiopian descent with the rest of the population goes against the values of the Education Ministry," it said. "The ministry implements a clear policy that integrates the Ethiopian community with all students across all frameworks.
"This year, the ministry is implementing processes to strengthen the sense of belonging of Ethiopian students and to root out any alienation, exclusion or racism."
Education Minister Rafi Peretz also issued a response condemning any form of segregation.
"Separation in kindergartens on a sectarian basis is not our way. It is immoral, and we oppose it strongly," said Peretz.
"Lack of integration of the Ethiopian community with the rest of the population is not educational, not Jewish and not Israeli."
5 sept 2019
By Bilal Ghaith
Palestinian activists called for receiving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Hebron, Wednesday, with black flags on homes near the Ibrahimi Mosque as observers, politicians and historians dismissed all allegations regarding the “visit” describing it as a provocation.
According to Maarive newspaper, Netanyahu is set to take part in a ritual in the illegal Jewish-only settlement in Hebron, on the steps of the Ibrahimi Mosque, the site where 29 Palestinians were massacred at the hands of an extremist named Baruch Goldstein, in 1994.
These rituals will be held in the presence of Netanyahu, Isareli government ministers and Likud Knesset members, on the premier’s first official visit to occupied Hebron in 13 years. An official ceremony will be held at the site to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1929 al-Buraq uprising.
During this visit, Netanyahu will try to flirt with the ultra-right wing members of Israel, living in illegal settlements in the old city of Hebron, in order to get them to vote for the extreme right camp in the Israeli elections scheduled for September 17.
Itamar Ben-Gefer, Baruch Marzel, and Bentsi Govstein, leaders of the Otsma Yehudit movement, which represents the margins of the ultra-religious right and which demands the expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank, the 1948 territories and Jerusalem, live in these settlements.
The President of al-Quds Open University, a researcher in Hebron City, Younis Amr, said the facts that underpin Netanyahu’s visit to Hebron are all fake.
He came to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque, built by the prophet Abraham, and it is a purely Islamic site occupied in 1967 and divided into a Jewish/Muslim site as a result the massacre.
Amr said Netanyahu’s invocation of the 90th anniversary of the al-Buraq uprising, in which Israel claims that Jews in Hebron and in Palestine in general were subjected to Palestinian attacks, is invalid and contrary to historical facts.
He said that “the claim is false, and those who killed the Jews at the time, was the British Mandate, but Netanyahu is trying to falsely blame it on the Palestinians.”
Amr asserted that Netanyahu is considered the worst Israeli Prime Minister because all his policies are based on incitement, siding with the advocates of apartheid and aggression. This is offensive even to his state, which claims modern democracy, and thus he is committed to occupation, hatred and racial discrimination.
The settlers of Hebron demand from Netanyahu a decision to confiscate the wholesale market and give it to them by claiming that it is historically owned by the Jewish residents of Hebron.
The so-called legal adviser to the Israeli government issued an order nine months ago that ended the Palestinian municipality of Hebron’s control over the market, known as the wholesale market, and to plan to establish a Jewish settlement in the site.
For his part, chairman of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee Imad Hamdan told WAFA that Netanyahu’s visit to Hebron is rejected, stating “Those who want to compete in the Israeli elections come to Hebron to satisfy the ultra-right wing settlers in Hebron, and this is absolutely rejected by the people of the old city of Hebron.”
The old city suffers greatly from the practices and policies of the occupation, which divides it into four parts, where movement is only on foot and through the gates, he said.
There are areas that only residents are allowed to access while there is an area where Palestinians are strictly prohibited from entering. Thus the old Hebron is closed and surrounded by barriers and electronic gates, which has affected all economic sectors, and restricts movement of the people.
Visit Arrangements
The Israeli army informed residents living near the Ibrahimi Mosque, Tuesday, of its intention to impose a curfew in conjunction with Netanyahu’s visit.
Activists in Hebron called on the residents of the old city to raise black flags on the roofs of their homes, specifically in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque and opposite al-Dabouya settlement to stress their rejection of the visit.
Political analyst Khalil Shaheen told WAFA that the visit has an important significance in light of the competition for the Israeli elections, especially for the most right-wing votes where Netanyahu’s campaign is focused on trying to win for the Likud party to be able to win the elections and form a government.
The visit aims to convey the message that Netanyahu is continuing to Judaize the city amid the preparations for annexing parts of the West Bank, including Hebron, he added.
Netanyahu is trying to attract the votes of the settlers, which constitute 13% of the total votes and is a strong bloc in the elections. It is clear he wants to say this from the Ibrahimi Mosque where the ultra right-wing settlers are.
He explained that the city of Hebron is targeted not only by settlements, but also large parts of it may be on its list for annexation. Netanyahu made a commitment from within the settlement Alkana, built on land from Salfit, and he is expected to repeat these pledges to impose Israeli sovereignty on the West Bank. This threatens the city of Hebron and the entire area in the south and southwest of the West Bank.
Settlement began in the city of Hebron since its occupation in 1967, according to the information center in WAFA. Some buildings were seized inside the city and converted into residential neighborhoods for Jews in order to geographically link these Jewish areas and the settlement of Kiryat Arba through digging tunnels and construction of roads, which means the seizure of Palestinian property and land.
This plan was implemented with the admittance of 73 settlers in the city of Hebron on May 10, 1968, where they inhabited al-Nahr al-Khaled hotel and announced their intention to stay with the support of the Israeli occupation authorities. The number of settlements in the governorate was 30, in addition to more than 20 outposts.
The deputy mayor of Hebron, Yusuf al-Jabari, told WAFA that the Israeli efforts to seize the wholesale market in Hebron were rejected, and that Netanyahu was using Hebron to remain as prime minister, he denounced this visit completely.
Al-Jabari said that the seizure of the properties of the Hebron municipality in the wholesale market is unacceptable, and that Netanyahu does not have the right to seize these properties since the Hebron agreement signed with the occupation stipulates that the right of full administration in the occupied part of the city is to the municipality of Hebron, and therefore the entire settlements are illegal.
He called on the sponsors of the agreement to intervene to prevent Netanyahu from taking over the property of the Hebron municipality.
Author : Bilal Ghaith for WAFA
Palestinian activists called for receiving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Hebron, Wednesday, with black flags on homes near the Ibrahimi Mosque as observers, politicians and historians dismissed all allegations regarding the “visit” describing it as a provocation.
According to Maarive newspaper, Netanyahu is set to take part in a ritual in the illegal Jewish-only settlement in Hebron, on the steps of the Ibrahimi Mosque, the site where 29 Palestinians were massacred at the hands of an extremist named Baruch Goldstein, in 1994.
These rituals will be held in the presence of Netanyahu, Isareli government ministers and Likud Knesset members, on the premier’s first official visit to occupied Hebron in 13 years. An official ceremony will be held at the site to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the 1929 al-Buraq uprising.
During this visit, Netanyahu will try to flirt with the ultra-right wing members of Israel, living in illegal settlements in the old city of Hebron, in order to get them to vote for the extreme right camp in the Israeli elections scheduled for September 17.
Itamar Ben-Gefer, Baruch Marzel, and Bentsi Govstein, leaders of the Otsma Yehudit movement, which represents the margins of the ultra-religious right and which demands the expulsion of Palestinians from the West Bank, the 1948 territories and Jerusalem, live in these settlements.
The President of al-Quds Open University, a researcher in Hebron City, Younis Amr, said the facts that underpin Netanyahu’s visit to Hebron are all fake.
He came to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque, built by the prophet Abraham, and it is a purely Islamic site occupied in 1967 and divided into a Jewish/Muslim site as a result the massacre.
Amr said Netanyahu’s invocation of the 90th anniversary of the al-Buraq uprising, in which Israel claims that Jews in Hebron and in Palestine in general were subjected to Palestinian attacks, is invalid and contrary to historical facts.
He said that “the claim is false, and those who killed the Jews at the time, was the British Mandate, but Netanyahu is trying to falsely blame it on the Palestinians.”
Amr asserted that Netanyahu is considered the worst Israeli Prime Minister because all his policies are based on incitement, siding with the advocates of apartheid and aggression. This is offensive even to his state, which claims modern democracy, and thus he is committed to occupation, hatred and racial discrimination.
The settlers of Hebron demand from Netanyahu a decision to confiscate the wholesale market and give it to them by claiming that it is historically owned by the Jewish residents of Hebron.
The so-called legal adviser to the Israeli government issued an order nine months ago that ended the Palestinian municipality of Hebron’s control over the market, known as the wholesale market, and to plan to establish a Jewish settlement in the site.
For his part, chairman of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee Imad Hamdan told WAFA that Netanyahu’s visit to Hebron is rejected, stating “Those who want to compete in the Israeli elections come to Hebron to satisfy the ultra-right wing settlers in Hebron, and this is absolutely rejected by the people of the old city of Hebron.”
The old city suffers greatly from the practices and policies of the occupation, which divides it into four parts, where movement is only on foot and through the gates, he said.
There are areas that only residents are allowed to access while there is an area where Palestinians are strictly prohibited from entering. Thus the old Hebron is closed and surrounded by barriers and electronic gates, which has affected all economic sectors, and restricts movement of the people.
Visit Arrangements
The Israeli army informed residents living near the Ibrahimi Mosque, Tuesday, of its intention to impose a curfew in conjunction with Netanyahu’s visit.
Activists in Hebron called on the residents of the old city to raise black flags on the roofs of their homes, specifically in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque and opposite al-Dabouya settlement to stress their rejection of the visit.
Political analyst Khalil Shaheen told WAFA that the visit has an important significance in light of the competition for the Israeli elections, especially for the most right-wing votes where Netanyahu’s campaign is focused on trying to win for the Likud party to be able to win the elections and form a government.
The visit aims to convey the message that Netanyahu is continuing to Judaize the city amid the preparations for annexing parts of the West Bank, including Hebron, he added.
Netanyahu is trying to attract the votes of the settlers, which constitute 13% of the total votes and is a strong bloc in the elections. It is clear he wants to say this from the Ibrahimi Mosque where the ultra right-wing settlers are.
He explained that the city of Hebron is targeted not only by settlements, but also large parts of it may be on its list for annexation. Netanyahu made a commitment from within the settlement Alkana, built on land from Salfit, and he is expected to repeat these pledges to impose Israeli sovereignty on the West Bank. This threatens the city of Hebron and the entire area in the south and southwest of the West Bank.
Settlement began in the city of Hebron since its occupation in 1967, according to the information center in WAFA. Some buildings were seized inside the city and converted into residential neighborhoods for Jews in order to geographically link these Jewish areas and the settlement of Kiryat Arba through digging tunnels and construction of roads, which means the seizure of Palestinian property and land.
This plan was implemented with the admittance of 73 settlers in the city of Hebron on May 10, 1968, where they inhabited al-Nahr al-Khaled hotel and announced their intention to stay with the support of the Israeli occupation authorities. The number of settlements in the governorate was 30, in addition to more than 20 outposts.
The deputy mayor of Hebron, Yusuf al-Jabari, told WAFA that the Israeli efforts to seize the wholesale market in Hebron were rejected, and that Netanyahu was using Hebron to remain as prime minister, he denounced this visit completely.
Al-Jabari said that the seizure of the properties of the Hebron municipality in the wholesale market is unacceptable, and that Netanyahu does not have the right to seize these properties since the Hebron agreement signed with the occupation stipulates that the right of full administration in the occupied part of the city is to the municipality of Hebron, and therefore the entire settlements are illegal.
He called on the sponsors of the agreement to intervene to prevent Netanyahu from taking over the property of the Hebron municipality.
Author : Bilal Ghaith for WAFA
4 sept 2019
'We are not here to disinherit anyone, but no one will disinherit us," says PM, soon after Knesset Speaker, Culture Minister call for annexation of the West Bank and enhancement of the settlement in the city
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday during a memorial service to the 1929 Arab riots in Hebron that "we are not strangers in Hebron and will remain in the city forever."
"We are not here to disinherit anyone, but no one will disinherit us (from here)," he said.
“We have come here to unite in memory, to express victory over bloodthirsty rioters who committed this horrific massacre 90 years ago,” the prime minister said.
“They were sure that they uprooted us for good, but they made a huge mistake,” he added.
Earlier in the ceremony, Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein said that "it is time to impose sovereignty" on the city.
"We did not return in all out might to this place, a place where out legacy lies and where Jews have dreamed about for generations," he said. "It is time that the Jewish settlement in Hebron grows by the thousands."
Culture Minister Miri Regev also called on Netanyahu to annex the city of Hebron, saying that “it's time that we uphold the pledge we have with our patriarchs and be sovereigns over the West Bank and Hebron, Tel Aviv and Hebron are no different"
"We have no right to settle in Tel Aviv, Dimona or Kiryat
Shmona if we don't understand the meaning of Hebron," she added.
President Reuven Rivlin attended a different memorial service in the city earlier Wednesday and said that "Hebron is not a barrier for peace."
"It is all up to us and our will. Hope is where we stand, Jews have returned to the home of their fathers," he said.
"Israel must work to improve the quality of life in the are for all its inhabitants," the president added, referring to both the Arab and Jewish population of the city.
Rivlin did not attend the evening ceremony, since it included political statements.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday during a memorial service to the 1929 Arab riots in Hebron that "we are not strangers in Hebron and will remain in the city forever."
"We are not here to disinherit anyone, but no one will disinherit us (from here)," he said.
“We have come here to unite in memory, to express victory over bloodthirsty rioters who committed this horrific massacre 90 years ago,” the prime minister said.
“They were sure that they uprooted us for good, but they made a huge mistake,” he added.
Earlier in the ceremony, Knesset speaker Yuli Edelstein said that "it is time to impose sovereignty" on the city.
"We did not return in all out might to this place, a place where out legacy lies and where Jews have dreamed about for generations," he said. "It is time that the Jewish settlement in Hebron grows by the thousands."
Culture Minister Miri Regev also called on Netanyahu to annex the city of Hebron, saying that “it's time that we uphold the pledge we have with our patriarchs and be sovereigns over the West Bank and Hebron, Tel Aviv and Hebron are no different"
"We have no right to settle in Tel Aviv, Dimona or Kiryat
Shmona if we don't understand the meaning of Hebron," she added.
President Reuven Rivlin attended a different memorial service in the city earlier Wednesday and said that "Hebron is not a barrier for peace."
"It is all up to us and our will. Hope is where we stand, Jews have returned to the home of their fathers," he said.
"Israel must work to improve the quality of life in the are for all its inhabitants," the president added, referring to both the Arab and Jewish population of the city.
Rivlin did not attend the evening ceremony, since it included political statements.
3 sept 2019
Members of the Israeli diplomatic corps in New York protest the Foreign Ministry budget cuts
With massive budget cuts and diminshed roles, members of Israel's diplomatic corps are seeking funding from Jews in their host nations so that they can travel to other locations and even attend policy meetings
They’re supposed to represent Israel on the international stage, but with budgets slashed and roles diminished, the members of the diplomatic corps are turning to Jewish communties in their host nations to pay for travel and other expenses.
One such ambassador is Eyal Sela, the Jerusalem-based envoy to Slovenia. Sela visits the country to which he is assigned every few months, but because of budget cuts, he barely makes these visits.
Sela is soon supposed to fly to Slovenia for a policy meeting and various other events, and the trip is being paid for by the Slovenian Jewish community.
Similarly, Mark Sofer, Israel's ambassador to Australia, recently visited Perth courtesy of the local Jewish community.
In another instance, Dan Oryan, the Israeli ambassador to North Macedonia, recently flew to his assigned country on a trip paid for by an Israeli association to advance people with disabilities.
During his visit, Oryan opened an exhibition called "Jump Together," which aims to include disabled people in everyday life.
The financial woes at the Foreign Ministry means anyone who needs to take a trip as part of their job must first have it approved by Jerusalem. But due to the lack of funding, almost all ambassadorial trips have been frozen and the visits by ministry personnel abroad have been all but cancelled.
The only way to circumvent this issue is with external funding and some in the Foreign Ministry say this phenomenon is only growing.
Nizar Amer, the acting spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, said in response: " Diplomatic representatives are from time to time invited to venues outside of their offices, and sometimes, in line with procedure, the host covers the expenses of the diplomats' trips."
With massive budget cuts and diminshed roles, members of Israel's diplomatic corps are seeking funding from Jews in their host nations so that they can travel to other locations and even attend policy meetings
They’re supposed to represent Israel on the international stage, but with budgets slashed and roles diminished, the members of the diplomatic corps are turning to Jewish communties in their host nations to pay for travel and other expenses.
One such ambassador is Eyal Sela, the Jerusalem-based envoy to Slovenia. Sela visits the country to which he is assigned every few months, but because of budget cuts, he barely makes these visits.
Sela is soon supposed to fly to Slovenia for a policy meeting and various other events, and the trip is being paid for by the Slovenian Jewish community.
Similarly, Mark Sofer, Israel's ambassador to Australia, recently visited Perth courtesy of the local Jewish community.
In another instance, Dan Oryan, the Israeli ambassador to North Macedonia, recently flew to his assigned country on a trip paid for by an Israeli association to advance people with disabilities.
During his visit, Oryan opened an exhibition called "Jump Together," which aims to include disabled people in everyday life.
The financial woes at the Foreign Ministry means anyone who needs to take a trip as part of their job must first have it approved by Jerusalem. But due to the lack of funding, almost all ambassadorial trips have been frozen and the visits by ministry personnel abroad have been all but cancelled.
The only way to circumvent this issue is with external funding and some in the Foreign Ministry say this phenomenon is only growing.
Nizar Amer, the acting spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, said in response: " Diplomatic representatives are from time to time invited to venues outside of their offices, and sometimes, in line with procedure, the host covers the expenses of the diplomats' trips."
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