Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., January 22, 2008 Shvat 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:40 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 23:58 21/01/2008 Dalia Rabin backtracks in row with academic over speech in Arabic By Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondent Advertisement He told Haaretz that he spoke in Arabic because it is his native language, and that Rabin consequently refused to shake his hand. "I'm an Arab who is proud of his language," he said. "I addressed 500 students, many of which were Arab teachers and school headmasters. What reason was there for me to speak in Hebrew?" Haj Yihyeh maintained that his greetings were also directed at the leaders of the project, including Rabin Center officials. Before leaving the podium, he reiterated the main points of his speech in Hebrew, while sarcastically calling on Hebrew speakers to learn Arabic. After the event Rabin asked Haj Yihyeh to apologize for speaking mostly in Arabic, and he refused. They started exchanging accusations, in front of the audience which composed mainly of the program's graduates. He told her that he wanted her to feel what Arabs often feel in Israel, and that her racist remarks stand in contrast to her father's heritage. "The project also includes Hebrew lessons to enable students to do well in their studies, and Mr. Haj Yihyeh knows it very well. As a great believer in the project, I cannot but regret this incident," Rabin said. For several years, "Invitation to University", the brainchild of Rabin Center, has been operating at Tel Aviv, Haifa and Bar Ilan universities. The 500 Jewish and Arab students who take part in it take a tailor-made "Introduction to Israeli Law" course, and participate in citizenship workshops, while acquiring academic skills and emphasizing inter-cultural dialogue. So far, 92 percent of Arab high school graduates who participated in the project were offered places in academic institutions. Bookmark to del.icio.us   L.A.-bound The Israeli film "Beaufort" has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Virtual trees The JNF takes tree-planting online for Tu B'Shvat during the shmita year.   1.   why sarcastic to learn arabic, but expected arabs learn hebrew 00:18  |  Jeremy Martin 22/01/08   2.   Arabic as an official language needs to changed 00:40  |  Robert F. 22/01/08   3.   arabic&HebrewLanguages 01:00  |  Yaacob 22/01/08   4.   Gee, I guess all the leftists have got a problem figuring out.. 01:06  |  bat yam 22/01/08   5.   Speaking Arabic 01:08  |  Hillel 22/01/08   6.   Yoav, now the academic credentials of Yusef Shaheen Haj Yihyeh ? 02:30  |  mike 22/01/08   7.   her guilty conscience 02:33  |  judith 22/01/08   8.   Just another backtrack in an endless list of backtracks 02:33  |  Nissim Mizrahi 22/01/08   9.   Arabins better learn arabic! 02:41  |  Shaul Dan 22/01/08   10.   Apartheid Israel 02:47  |  Ismail 22/01/08   11.   #1 Yaacob from Toronto 02:53  |  MR 22/01/08   12.   I wish Arabic to be spoken in Israel instead of Hebrew 02:57  |  Yaakov Sullivan 22/01/08   13.   In your face Rabin 03:03  |  David 22/01/08   14.   #9 Ismail 03:06  |  MR 22/01/08   15.   No one does better discrimination that we do 03:18  |  ARAB APARTHEID 22/01/08   16.   jah jah Yaacob!~ 03:19  |  JfromC 22/01/08   17.   Judith, LOL! 03:31  |  David James Vickery 22/01/08   18.   Ismail get it right,,, 03:35  |  Harold 22/01/08   19.   Certainly learning Arabic is a good thing for Israeli Jews 03:36  |  newageblues 22/01/08   20.   He reiterated the main points in Hebrew 03:46  |  Slibovitz 22/01/08   21.   #1 Please learn Native American languages 04:07  |  McQueen 22/01/08   22.   Dalia Rabin should have held back on that apology 05:28  |  EGW 22/01/08   23.   do his wish: separate programs in Arabic only for Arab students 06:06  |  mike 22/01/08   24.   why sarcastic to learn arabic, but expected arabs learn hebrew 06:14  |  David 22/01/08   25.   shame on Dalia 06:21  |  Israeli guy 22/01/08   26.   rasist left 06:38  |  tom 22/01/08   27.   Dalia Rabin 21:57  |  Naim S. Mahlab 22/01/08

Today Online Gaza power restored after Israel delivers fuel, gas to the Strip Responses: 186 U.S. immigrant beaten up in 'pogrom' by ultra-Orthodox gang Responses: 123 Palestinian officials: 40% of Gazans lack running water Responses: 78 Israel fears int'l push to hand over Gaza borders to PA control Responses: 64 UN: Despite Israel's promises, West Bank barriers increase Responses: 65 Rosner's Domain The Bible not written to be amended. The Constitution was (WTR) Domain's Guest: "all Jews are responsible for one another" Rosner's Mailbox: Huckabee the candidate who would not sell Israel out Why Republican candidate Mike Huckabee worries Jewish voters Meadow Soprano is more proud of Israel than the US (WTR) More Headlines 23:19 PA court sentences killers of two Israelis to 15 years 22:42 Hamas chief Meshal: No end to rockets until IDF halts 'onslaught' 23:14 Israel unveils plans for missile to counter Hezbollah missiles 23:15 Bolton: Chance Bush will okay strike on Iran is 'close to zero' 20:34 Israeli film Beaufort nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film 23:03 Munich says carnival parade on Holocaust Day is unstoppable 22:35 Shas escalates threat to quit Olmert gov't over Jerusalem talks 21:21 Israeli, Palestinian envoys trade blame at the UN over Gaza 22:59 High Court suggests compromise on buses segregating men, women 18:55 Israeli Arabs protest Gaza crisis; rightists stage counter-protest 20:27 German minister says six powers agree on new Iran resolution 23:05 Popular Israeli drama remade by HBO for American audience Previous Editions Select Day 21 jan 20 jan 18 jan 17 jan 16 jan 15 jan 14 jan 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan

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