Attack on Haifa Mayor for Exclusion of Druze Students: "Moral Mistake"

Einat Kalish-Rotem's decision not to allow students who do not live in the city to study, from which Druze students from Carmel villages were harmed, dragged condemnations from across the political spectrum. Minister Katz is valid: "A whimsical mayor damages the fabric of shared life." MK smells protest: "Decision to leave a stain"

Attack on Haifa Mayor for Exclusion of Druze Students: "Moral Mistake"

(In the video: Druze students talk about national law)

Difficult responses to Haifa Mayor's policy change, Einat Kalish-Rotem, a decision that would end the long-standing tradition in Haifa, in which dozens of Druze students attended state schools in the city. For several years, the city's education department has been implementing a Haifa for Haifa policy and is preventing full-Haifa children from sending their children to the city's schools, but those who were explicitly killed were students from the Druze villages in Carmel, a policy adopted by former mayor Yona Yahav.

Recently, parents of V students learned from the Carmel Medal and its teachers that under the direction of Kalish-Rotem, they would not be able to enroll their children for the next school year in the seventh grade in the middle schools in the city. Then, following the advertising in Walla! NEWS and other national and local media outlets have appealed to the mayor and agreed to postpone the year of shear, which is unacceptable to parents. "Forget that all this activity is ultimately driven primarily by the State of Israel funding the school construction and paying the teachers' salaries, and I would expect the Education Ministry to take a stand as well," said Attorney Reshef Chen, who represents parents of seven students from her teachers and Dalit El Carmel.

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Will be separated from their friends and school. Some of the Druze students from Asfiya and the al-Carmel medal (courtesy of the photographers)

Students from Osafia not allowed to study in Haifa (Photo: Courtesy of the photographers)

"The municipal response we received completely is unacceptable to us," protested Chen protested. "Apart from the fact that it is completely legally incorrect, in essence it does not solve the problem. Postponing the removal of children for another year is not a solution, of course. And the announcement that the municipalities intend to separate them from their classmates, not allow them to attend the elementary school's elementary school they are currently studying, but send them "to a school at the discretion of the municipality," is a continuation of the municipality's approach that it is permitted to abort Druze children Abusing them in relation to their Jewish classmates. "

Attorney Chen warned that "if the municipality's position does not change in a short time, the children's parents have already been ordered to file an administrative petition against Kalish-Rotem and her municipality to court."

Students from the Druze communities will no longer be able to learn in Haifa: "A slap in the face"

"Serious and Infringed Decision on Racism"

The mayor's conduct on the matter also brought harsh and furious reactions from across the political spectrum, to the extent that Foreign Minister Israel Katz of the Likud, who has an "open account" against Kalish-Rotem, believes that her term should be terminated. "Haifa Mayor Einat Kalish-Rotem's decision not to allow Druze students from the surrounding communities to attend Haifa schools is severe and outrageous and is tainted with racism," he wrote last night on his Facebook page, giving her an ultimatum: "If you do not return it immediately, it also serves me Reason for transferring her role. "

According to Minister Katz, "A whimsical mayor may not be so blatantly hurting the fabric of the common life between the Jewish majority and the most loyal minority community in Israel. The Druze community, which has made a bloody alliance with the Jewish public, from before the establishment of the state to the present, The Minister added: "When this happens in the UK against Jews - we are all shocked, when it happens here - we must respond with full force."

And he's not the only one. Blue and white also protested the decision that creates a break in the brave connection between the Druze community and the Jewish people. MK Radir smells a medal to Carmel said: "It is a decision that will leave a stain, which should not be the case in Haifa city history, which is an example of partnership." Marihar called on the mayor to back her decision, saying that "the education system should educate equality and certainly not be an example of racism, exclusion. And discrimination. "

Changed city policy and received harsh responses. Kalish-Rotem, Mayor of Haifa (Photo: Courtesy of the photographers)

Dr. Einat Kalish, Fighting Air Pollution in Haifa April 20, 2015 (Photo: Courtesy of the photographers)

Another MK who came out against Kalish-Rotem is MK Nir Barkat of the Likud, who served about 10 years as mayor of Jerusalem. On Tuesday, Barkat sent a letter to Kalish-Rotem, warning that "the move also causes irreparable damage to Haifa and its residents, a city that is a symbol of coexistence, freedom of religion and culture and equality." He defined her decision as "educational, moral and moral." He said, "The price will be paid mainly by the Druze students, who are the main students coming from the surrounding communities." Barkat urged the mayor: "Creating this improper discrimination will accompany these students later in their lives and you can avoid it immediately."

MK Bareket also wrote that in his experience as mayor of Jerusalem "the right step is to open the registration areas to schools completely, even to the other students outside the city of Haifa, to encourage competition and to allow every student - regardless of religion, origin, or status - to be automatically accepted to study at all Institution of study on the basis of vacancy and not on the basis of residence or socioeconomic status. This step has proven itself and should be implemented across the country in general and in mixed cities in particular. "The letter was completed by MK Barkat calling on the mayor" to return it from the immediate wrong move ".

MK Nir Barkat urged Kalish-Rotem to "return to it immediately from the wrong move" (Photo: Knesset Spokeswoman - Isaac Harari)

Nir Barkat in Knesset's First Speech, May 14, 2019 (Photo: Knesset Spokeswoman - Isaac Harari, official website)

"For years I did not respond to issues related to the mayor of Haifa. This time I could not be silent," wrote former Haifa Mayor Colonel (Res.) Amram Mitzna, calling on Kalish-Rotem: "Apologize and rebuke you for this unfortunate decision." He said the "mayor's decision to prevent students from Druze villages in Carmel from being educated in municipal educational institutions deserves all condemnation."

The Israeli ambassador to Panama, Rada Mansour, also feels he must respond. Mansour, Ben Osafia, posted in a post on his Facebook page: "Sorry we are looking for the best education for our children. Maybe we should settle for being simple workers in your city's factories, simple police officers and simple gardeners on the streets." He cynically added, "Request forgiveness" and wrote, "Sorry I promoted your city as a consul in San Francisco, your twin city, and told them how much you are a liberal and open city. Sorry I promoted your city during my time in Boston, your partner in the Partnership 2000 program The Jewish Agency, and sorry that as an ambassador these days, I am working on early projects with your university. I have always thought that Thomas Haifa is also my city. " This post received many likes and comments.

"Changing the Discourse from a Blood Covenant to a Life Covenant"

Kiryat Bialik Mayor Eli Dukorski, who avoided a head-on confrontation with the mayor of Haifa with whom he is in regular working relationships, invited the Druze students to come and study in the next school year in the city's education system. "It is time to change the dialogue with the Druze from a bloody alliance to life. We must remember them not only when one falls in the defense of our state. Kiryat Bialik's excellent education system contains and educates coexistence. I invite the seven Druze students to join the strong educational system of Kiryat Bialik, a value-based education system that teaches tolerance and equality, "Dukorsky said.