Government funded Arab school holds Heritage Day that wipes Israel off map
The Christian El Oscopia in Shfar'am encouraged students to paint a Palestinian flag over the whole of Israel, denying the existence of the Jewish state.
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDSHeritage Day for the Palestinian People celebrated in El Oskopia High School places Palestine on the map instead of Israel, March 2020(photo credit: Courtesy)
A Christian high school in the Israeli-Arab city of Shfar'am held a "Heritage Day for the Palestinian People" this week which denied Israel's right to exist, the newspaper Makor Rishon has reported.El Oscopia school, which has full control of its own syllabus, put the day aside last week on which students took part in a range of events, including hosting a Palestinian wedding, and cooking Arabic food.However, despite receiving government funding, the day also included anti-Israeli activities, such as encouraging students to paint the Palestinian flag across a map of the whole of Israel and the West Bank and Gaza, from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. The word 'Palestine' was written onto the map in English lettering.Heritage Day for the Palestinian People celebrated in El Oskopia High School places Palestine on the map instead of Israel, March 2020 (Photo Credit: Courtesy)Also included in the event were drawings of "Handala," a well-known symbol of Palestinian defiance created by Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali.Local council members and political activists attended the event. Activist Murad Hadad wrote on social media that he "could not describe [his] excitement after we entered the school and saw the children at the activity stations."One of the key pillars of "resistance" is to "cleave to Arab heritage," Hadad said, and thanked the school's headteacher, Farouk Farhad for organising the day.Three years ago, El Oscopia School was named as an outstanding school by Israel's Education Ministry "in the field of values, social and learning," according to Makor Rishon.Zionist watchdog Im Tirtzu has called on the Ministry to take immediate action.“It is inconceivable that an Israeli high school under the supervision of the Education Ministry is brainwashing its students into thinking that they are Palestinians and must hate Israel," said Im Tirtzu CEO Matan Peleg.
"This phenomenon in which Arab youth are being brainwashed to oppose the very country that they live in must end,” added Peleg. "We are calling on the Education Ministry to immediately take action."The Ministry has commented: "The matter is under review."
