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Umm al-Fahm schools shut
On Sunday, far-right lawmaker Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) toured the northern Arab city of Umm al-Fahm, hanging an Israeli flag outside one of its schools as the city’s education system went on strike against his visit.
“Palestinians in the city of Umm al-Fahm thwarted today, Sunday, an attempt by an Israeli Knesset member to storm several of its schools, after a civil committee announced a suspension of classes and the closure of the schools”
The parents’ committee in Umm al-Fahm decided Saturday night to shut down schools for the entire day during Sukkot’s planned tour, decrying the visit as a political stunt meant to court far-right voters during election season.
Sukkot arrived outside a school while guarded by a large, heavily armed police entourage, and he accused the local education system of stoking nationalist violence.
The Times of Israel quoted Ahmad Yousef Mahajneh, head of the city’s parents’ committee, saying, “The question is why did he choose to come to Umm al-Fahm in such a way now, so close to the elections?”
The Jerusalem Post reported that locals defined the visit as “a clear and unacceptable provocation,” and said it was an attempt to exploit educational institutions for election propaganda and personal politics.
Protests and competing claims
During the visit, residents and a handful of left-wing Jewish activists protested Sukkot’s presence, and one protester turned the accusations of incitement back on him by bringing up his 2010 arrest on suspicion of setting fire to a West Bank mosque.
Yaya Fink, a liberal Jewish activist running as a candidate in the left-wing Democrats party primaries, shouted at Sukkot, “You’re a draft evader. You’re a racist,” as the latter retreated to his van.
Sukkot told Israel National News that there were no Israeli flags flying outside schools he visited, despite a law mandating a flag be placed in educational institutions and other public buildings.
The Jerusalem Post quoted Sukkot saying, “Declared terrorist organizations” lecturing in Umm el-Fahm schools, as he held an Israeli flag in one hand and a poster of Raed Salah in the other.
The Times of Israel also quoted Mahajneh saying, “We’re ready to present the achievements of our schools, everything that we teach, but this conduct — accusing us of teaching violence — is unacceptable,” and added that “Schools are a red line.”
Aftermath and wider tensions
The local parents’ committee and the popular committee in Umm al-Fahm announced a suspension of classes on Sunday in all schools and educational institutions, including private education, and said the schools would be closed to all students and teaching staff.
“Far-right lawmaker Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) toured the northern Arab city of Umm al-Fahm on Sunday, hanging an Israeli flag outside one of its schools as the city’s education system went on strike against his controversial visit”
In a joint statement, the committees said the visit constituted “a clear and unacceptable provocation” and described it as an attempt to exploit educational institutions for political campaigning and personal political gain.
Al Jazeera Net reported that Palestinians in the city inside the Green Line thwarted an attempt by an Israeli Knesset member to storm several schools after the civil committee announced the suspension of classes and the closure of the schools.
Al Jazeera Net said residents closed the schools and declared a strike against Sukot and demonstrated in protest of his provocations, which took place under police protection.
The Times of Israel added that the visit was nominally an official tour by the Knesset Education Committee, which is chaired by Sukkot, but that he arrived unaccompanied by his fellow committee members.
