Bezalel Lecturer Labels Israeli Cities as 'Palestine' and IDF as 'Occupation Forces'
Issa Graib, an Israeli citizen born in Nazareth and a lecturer at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, has sparked controversy after publicly referring to Israeli cities such as Jerusalem, Haifa, and Nazareth as "Palestine" and describing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as "Israeli occupation forces." These statements were documented in a German report linked to his participation in the prestigious DAAD artist scholarship program, where he was identified as originating from the "Palestinian territories" rather than Israel.
Graib, who studied at Bezalel from 2015 to 2019 before joining its faculty, made these remarks on his Instagram account, tagging locations within Israel with the term "Palestine." The German article characterized this as a denial of Israel's existence. Additionally, Graib publicly called for an end to what he described as a "genocide" against Palestinians shortly after the October 7 Hamas attack, without acknowledging the attack itself.
The controversy raises questions about the responsibilities of Israeli academic institutions regarding the political expressions of their teaching staff. While freedom of artistic expression is recognized, the issue here involves a faculty member who challenges the legitimacy of Israel as a state and labels its military as occupiers. Bezalel, as a recognized higher education institution, faces scrutiny over whether it was aware of Graib's statements and how it balances academic freedom with institutional responsibility.
The DAAD scholarship, funded largely by German public money, provides recipients with monthly support ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 euros. Despite the political nature of Graib's statements, DAAD clarified that it does not endorse the personal views of its supported artists and emphasized its historical responsibility toward Israel and its citizens.
Responses from Bezalel and Issa Graib were pending at the time of reporting. The case highlights the tension between academic freedom, political expression, and national identity within Israeli institutions amid ongoing conflict.
