Educator challenges ban, allowing Breaking the Silence to present to students
"We will continue to break the silence until the occupation ends," Avner Gvaryahu said.
By YVETTE J. DEANEUpdated: OCTOBER 21, 2018 13:52Employees work at the offices of "Breaking the Silence" in Tel Aviv, Israel, December 16, 2015(photo credit: BAZ RATNER/REUTERS)
Executive Director of Breaking the Silence Avner Gvaryahu spoke about his political organization at a Yizhak Rabin Memorial Day event at a Tel Aviv High School Sunday. Gvaryahu was invited by school principal Ram Cohen to speak at the event.This presentation marked the first time an educator challenged a ban, passed by the Knesset in January, forbidding the left-wing NGO from speaking at schools."We will continue to break the silence until the occupation ends," Gvaryahu said."Bennett sends us to secure isolated outposts right after we finish high school, but he fears high school students and what they might learn about their service, what it will look like in the territories and the reality there: an occupation," Gvaryahu said.The law, proposed by MK Shuli Moalem-Refaeli (Bayit Yehudi), states that organizations delegitimizing the State of Israel, acting against IDF soldiers and the objectives of the Israeli education system will not be permitted to enter school premises or meet with students.The law specifically targets Breaking the Silence, an organization made up of former IDF soldiers who report about their negative experiences serving over the Green Line. The law was passed in the middle of July.Gil Hoffman contributed to this article.
