MK Demands Emergency Plan to Protect Arab Staff in Jewish Schools
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Member of Knesset Maha Karaqui Sabah called on the Ministry of Education to implement an emergency plan to protect Arab staff in Jewish schools after a racist attack on a teacher and assistant in Herzliya. She demanded stricter disciplinary actions against students, an emergency protocol for staff protection, and mandatory anti-racism programs. Sabah stressed the need for firm measures beyond condemnation to prevent further racist incidents against Arab educators.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- MK Maha Karaqui Sabah demanded an emergency plan for Arab staff in Jewish schools after a racist attack.
- A teacher and assistant were physically and verbally assaulted with racist slurs in Herzliya.
- The MK called for stricter disciplinary actions and criminal follow-up against involved students.
- She also requested an emergency protocol for staff protection and mandatory anti-racism programs.
- Karaqui Sabah warned that a lack of deterrent measures encourages further racist attacks.
- The assailant's family reportedly filed a complaint against the assaulted teacher.
Member of Knesset Maha Karaqui Sabah, representing the National Democratic Alliance in the Joint List, has formally urged the Minister of Education and the Director General of the Ministry to immediately intervene and enhance security for Arab teaching staff in Jewish schools. Her call follows a severe racist assault on teacher Abd al-Qadir Watad and an Arab assistant at "Hana Senesh" High School in Herzliya earlier this week. The MK stated that the physical and verbal assault, racist slurs, and attack on the assistant, who intervened to protect a special education student, constitute a nationalistic racist attack requiring a radical and firm response, not merely an incident of school violence. She warned that the current political climate, which normalizes superiority and racism, and the increasing prevalence of racist rhetoric and actions in public discourse, embolden such attacks. Karaqui Sabah cautioned that mere condemnation without deterrent measures signals acceptance of continued assaults on Arab teachers. Following communication with Watad and a review of the incident, she proposed three decisive steps: first, stricter disciplinary measures against students involved in racist attacks, with firm criminal and educational follow-up in cooperation with police and relevant social-educational bodies; second, the creation of an emergency protocol to protect Arab teaching staff in Jewish and mixed schools, including immediate legal and psychological support; and third, the implementation of mandatory educational programs in middle and high schools to combat racism and incitement. She emphasized that the dignity and personal safety of Arab teachers at their workplaces are non-negotiable and pledged to pursue the matter parliamentarily with the Ministry and teacher unions to curb such racist crimes and implement programs to reduce these attacks, specifically following up on Watad's case, especially since the assailant's family filed a complaint against the teacher.