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Jewish Nation-State Law added to Israel high school curriculum

August 16, 2019 at 11:04 am

Rafael ‘Rafi’ Peretz, the former chief rabbi of the Israeli army, and current Israeli Education Minister [Twitter]

Israel’s Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz announced yesterday that the highly contentious Nation-State Law would be added to high school curriculums starting this year.

According to right-wing outlet Arutz Sheva, “under the new curriculum, students will learn about the sections of the law, the importance of the law and the public debate that accompanied its passage.”

The lesson plan sent to teachers includes material on constitutional law, as well as content on the views of Palestinian citizens concerning the legislation.

The Nation-State Law, passed in 2018, declares that “the right to exercise national self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.”

The law also says that the state “views the development of Jewish settlement as a national value and will act to encourage and promote its establishment and consolidation.”

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The legislation was widely condemned domestically and internationally for its discriminatory content and impact on Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Announcing the change, Education Minister Peretz described the Nation-State Law as “one of the most important laws enacted in the State of Israel”, adding: “I recognise the importance of the education system and its various aspects of citizenship education.”

“We returned home after 2,000 years of exile and were honoured to establish the vision of the prophets of Israel in the State of Israel,” the minister continued. “We are proud of the State of Israel and happy to have the right to be a free people in our country.”

“The law illustrates our historical right as a sovereign people and constitutes a legal basis for the State of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people and should be taught in the education system.”