A Ministry of Economy and Industry agency charged with overseeing vocational colleges has recently sent out an instructional video aimed at helping educators deal with Arab-Israeli tensions during Independence Day in which it implicitly recognized Israel's founding as a negative development for Palestinians.
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Palestinians usually refer to Israel's independence as the Nakba, which means catastrophe in Arabic, and occasionally hold anti-Israel events on May 15, the date in 1948 when Israel declared statehood.
Video: Ministry of Economy and Industry
In the video, which was sent along with a written document, was sent to the directors of various colleges in Israel, it said: "We must recognize that Independence Day is Nakba Day [Catastrophe Day] for Arab citizens and allow such workers not to stand in silence during the siren on Memorial Day." The presenters also added, "Expressing joyfulness during Independence Day can be misconstrued as disrespect for Nakba Day."
The official government video shows an Arab man and a Jewish woman, with the former saying "Nakba Day" and the latter "Independence Day". It calls on college directors to adopt a "flexible" approach to Arabs who resist taking part in the moment of silence when the sirens blast nationwide. "Be considerate of those who want to avoid being present during those times," it says, referring to both Arabs and Jews.
In response to an Israel Hayom inquiry, the ministry issued the following statement: "The colleges under our supervision serve as a home for all sectors of society in Israel and allow a fusion of various cultures and socioeconomic mobility for the student population. The document comprises general points that were devised by a research institution under the auspices of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It is important to make it clear that this is not a binding document and it does not reflect the ministry's views. The document was sent to several ministries as general advice. However, we have been made aware of the controversy and therefore all colleges will get a clarification."
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