Occupied Jerusalem Educational, educational and research activities among the 1948 Palestinians unanimously agreed that the draft law presented by the Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu aims to monitor and tighten control over the Arab education system.
The draft law, which was previously approved by the Knesset in preliminary reading and returned for discussions and preparations in the relevant parliamentary committees during the war on Gaza, stipulates the imposition of censorship on male and female teachers under the pretext of combating “terrorism.”
The movement of the law came in the wake of the Israeli Ministry of Education’s move to dismiss every female or male teacher who appeared to have posted tweets on social media networks or expressed any position or opinion that contained words of “praise, sympathy, or encouragement,” which might be understood as identification with the Gaza Strip and the Islamic Resistance Movement. (Hamas) and opposition to the war on Gaza.
During the Education Committee’s deliberations regarding the provisions of the law and the term “terrorism,” the representative of the Israeli Ministry of Justice called for reducing the powers that will be granted to the General Security Service (Shin Bet) under the law, which will begin to tighten oversight measures over the education system, and expand powers against teachers and Arabs specifically.
Arabs first
According to the Chairman of the Committee for Follow-up on Arab Education Issues, Dr. Sharaf Hassan, the law primarily targets the Arab education system, although the content and text of the legislation applies to everyone.
Hassan pointed out, in an interview with Tel Aviv Tribune Net, that the law falls within the attempts of the Israeli establishment to subject education to security considerations, as teachers are treated as suspects and are always placed in the circle of suspicion and under the watchful eye of the censor.
Accordingly, Hassan says, “The government took advantage of the state of war and the racist atmosphere to legislate laws to deny the basic rights of teachers and Arab citizens,” warning that “the law will facilitate the procedures for dismissing any teacher without the right to object, under the pretext of identification with so-called terrorism.”
No explanations
He explained that the government deliberately kept the word “terrorism” loose in the draft law, which means that the law applies to anyone who criticizes the government, opposes war and the killing of innocents and civilians, or even stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
He pointed out that the broad text constitutes a bone of contention with the Israeli Ministry of Justice, which demanded clear explanations of the meaning of the term “terrorism,” and a definition of the type of actions and activities supporting this “terrorism,” which is rejected by those who initiated the draft law from the Likud and “Jewish Greatness” parties.
Hassan pointed out that the Public Security Service expresses its reservations regarding the wording of the provisions of the draft law because it does not believe that the general public is a threat to the security of the state, saying that “these reservations indicate that the extreme right seeks to subject all institutions, systems and concepts to its political considerations and deepen its control over the state apparatus.” the deep”.
The Chairman of the Committee for Follow-up on Arab Education Issues warned of the repercussions of the law that would affect those who violate and oppose government policies, noting that it grants broad administrative powers to the Ministry to dismiss any teacher, while emptying the course of disciplinary committees of their powers, and depriving the teacher of his right to defend himself and challenge the procedures that may occur. Open against him.
Imposing censorship
The same proposal was adopted by the Director of the Al-Masar Institute for Social Research, Professor Khaled Abu Asba, who said, “The draft law falls within the plan to isolate the Arab minority from reality, the environment, and the environment, given that the education system is an Israeli tool for control and control.”
Abu Asba explained to Tel Aviv Tribune Net that moving the law comes after many years of struggle by the Palestinians of 1948 to abolish censorship of the Arab education system since the Nakba in 1948.
He pointed out that the far-right government is exploiting the war and the state of emergency in order to re-impose censorship on the Arab educational system by re-proposing such a law aimed at censoring teachers, imposing a state of fear on them, and deterring them from expressing or any attempt to open a discussion between male and female students in the classroom.
A rebellious generation
Abu Asba believes that such a law and procedures will have repercussions and impact on the approach, behavior, and performance of male and female teachers and administrations, which do not want to be under suspicion regarding any behavior, expression, or tweet. It will also put the curriculum maker under supervision.
He pointed out that the law and procedures will have an impact on the educational process in schools and educational institutions inside Palestine, but he added that the student is “exposed and open to the world through social media networks, and education at home and in society.”
Accordingly, it is believed that such legislation, control measures, and attempts at control will create a rebellious generation of students, and they will resort to external sources to obtain education and knowledge. “But the absence of the role of the school and the educational institution undoubtedly has repercussions on refining the student’s personality and identity.”
A state of struggle
In turn, political activist and teacher Nevin Abu Rahmoun said that the law, which at first glance appears to affect male and female teachers, aims in depth to control the Arab education system, control schools, and formulate education curricula, and thus produce an Arab student isolated from his narrative, his cause, and the Palestinian people to whom he belongs. .
Nevin pointed out, in her interview with Tel Aviv Tribune Net, that this law comes after “the failure of all Israelization projects and their rejection by the Palestinian youth inside the country, which created a state of struggle in the Palestinian street and a challenge to Israel, whether through the gift of land and housing to overthrow the “Prafer” plan or.” “Gift of Dignity” in May 2021 by joining forces with the struggle of the Palestinian people in all their places.
She believes that the draft law falls within the government’s policy and its attempts to “ideologize education and knowledge” in line with its ideology, which stipulates despising the Palestinian, ignoring the Palestinian narrative, creating a generation far removed from patriotic and nationalistic concerns, and suffocating the Palestinian teacher in front of his students so that he becomes, like the student, isolated from reality.
Nevin called for confronting the law and providing a public and societal incubator for the teacher, who is considered one of the most important pillars of struggle and upbringing for generations, through unity and not allowing the Israeli institution to monopolize male and female teachers, and strengthening the role of civil society institutions and organizing them to be partners and levers for the struggle by creating an alternative educational space for students and teachers that challenges policies. Israeli.