The language of the state
As the Arab minority comprises about one-fifth of Israel's population and Arabic is an official language, teaching the indigenous language is not merely a practical necessity but should be part of our concept of citizenship.
Haaretz EditorialThe Education Ministry's decision to have the Arabic language taught in 179 elementary schools in the north of the country is both important and to be commended. As the Arab minority comprises about one-fifth of Israel's population and Arabic is an official language, teaching the indigenous language is not merely a practical necessity but should be part of our concept of citizenship.
For decades, teaching Arabic in schools was seen as a security-oriented task, granted legitimacy by the slogan "know thy enemy." Most students of the Arabic language envisioned a vocation in intelligence or security, fields which themselves set up advanced language courses to train workers exclusively for their job - not as a means of getting to know the neighbors or their culture.
This trend fell in line with the attitude that Israel, as part of the West, was obliged to help its students acclimatize themselves to Western society. Israel's being part of the Middle East, surrounded by states whose people are Arabic speakers and part of the Arab culture, was reflected only through the conflict - and even then most Israelis could not understand the Arab side.
On the practical side, not knowing Arabic results in the infringement of civil rights. For example, the branch of the National Insurance Institute in Haifa has not even one Arabic-speaking official. Arab citizens of Israel who are not fluent in Hebrew have found themselves hassled and deprived simply because nobody could explain their rights to them in their own tongue.
But the Education Ministry's decision is not enough. The Arabic teaching departments at many of the country's universities have shrunk, and some offer Middle East studies without requiring the student to learn Arabic. These facts demonstrate the accumulative damage of neglecting the language. Even the scope of the new syllabus for the north - two hours a week - is no more than a taste of what is required, and years will pass until the project spreads, if it ever does, to the entire education system.
Still, despite its limitations, this is an important decision - one which, if expanded and applied properly, could serve as a vital stage in eliminating the hostility toward the Arabic language and bringing the two populations in Israel closer together.
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Not teaching arabic in Israel would be like not teaching Spanish in the United States.
interesting term that, in the hebrew version the sentenc in the editiorial describes arabic as the:"hasafa hamakomit hashniya"---the second local language, whereas in Haaretz english it says "indigenous"--not even second!--has ISM taken over English Haaretz?
"Know Thy Enemy" makes very good sense. That would make very easy for many Israelis to travel in hostile Arab countries without being detected. However, from every Arab citizen of Israel it is required to learn Hebrew. If they don't want, they they should lose citizenship and be deported to any Arab countre with some oil in the ground. George S.
have one school system for everybody. muslim, jewish and christian children learning together. learning how to live together. learning the other`s language. we in europe know how important it is to know the language of your neighbour. so: get rid of the israeli segragation in the school system. the children are the future!
The USA is fast coming to accept Spanish as a second language becauser of migrations from south of its border. It would seem if Israel occupies an Arab land and makes it their own, the indigenous people should be treated with dignity. the Arabic language surrounds and permeates Israel. Remaining in denial is foolishness.
The parent company of Haaretz also pushed for all European countries to learn German in the 30s. Get the similarity?
Israel is not a colonial outpost of the West. It's part of the Middle East. Get used to it!
Corrupt as it is ,Israeli "Arab school sector" ,does it really teach writing effectively ? If so , it's much better than the schools in many arab countries ,where schools turn out pupils able to read ,but not write.
How many people speak Spanish in America? Far more than there are Arabic speakers in Israel. America is still an English-speaking country. Spanish is a choice and will remain that way. Arabic should be a choice, like Spanish, not a mandatory element of being Israeli. Moreover, most Israelis prefer to learn English as a second language, as it is far more useful. Ridiculous argument by the author. I can't believe this was actually published.
Your argument is amiss.Israel is surrounded on 3 sides by Arabic speaking countries. Israelis should & must learn that language. If later on they want to become proficient in the language & know & speak it fluently many doors will be opened for them.
The left is so frustrated that they didn't push for this decision, which was implemented by the most right-wing coalition ever, no wonder they talked to Abbas trying to destroy these new round of peace talks. Partisan feelings among the left are stronger than peace.
Of course Arabic should be a compulsary subject in all schools. However, it is a disgrace that the Arab citizens of Israel are not taught sufficient Hebrew at school to read road signs easily and deal with officialdom at the very least.
Hebrew is the indigenous language of Israel. And it is endemic, particular to Israel. Arabic is indigenous to Arabia and much of e rest of the Middle East. It just burns Haaretz and Israel-haters up to realize tiny Israel is, and how special, ancient, continual and indigenous Jewish connection to Israel is.
If certain senior Haaretz correspondents knew Arabic, they would understand what various PA officials were saying in that language. They could then, perhaps, report the discrepancies between the sentiments the officials expressed in in Arabic to those expressed in other languages on a given matter. Not holding my breath, mind.
I just photo what I see.
Hablaa Espanyol? It would be most wise to understand the other language of any nation. Here in Texas it has only been the last few generations since German language papers and magazines vanished. We have had the better part of 100 different cultures settle in Texas, and this was part of Mexico before it was part of the USA. Hebrew and Arabic are far closer languages than English and Spanish, though not English and German.
A very nice sentimental editorial from Ha'Aretz. Par for the course. The poor old arabs will not break through into the modern economic and cultural world because their predominant ideology, Islam, is structured to prevent this. Primarily Sharia economics will keep our cousins poor and thus, disheartened. Israel is far better off becoming truly bilingual with English. Israel's (and the West's) economy will strech miles ahead of the poor arabs and English will remain the predominant international business and cultural language. It's nice to be kind and sentimental and warm and fuzzy about the arabs and Arabic, but ... takles ... they won't break away from their poverty. Sad, but there you have it.
Its probably a good idea for all the little children to learn about Islam as well. Perhaps they should go to Egypt or Ramallah for summer camp?
It's all a happy eco-system. Earth to left-wing Israel, you're surrounded by a billion hostile muslims that hate you. Wake up!!!
Arabic Language should be a Compulsory Language together with English. When taught at a young age & with the proper teachers, the task is not insurmountable In any case about 35% will grasp the language properly,& later become quite fluent, Another 15 % will pass. But there will be a hard core that will, for one reason or another fail . Only later in life when they see that they can't advance at their jobs or in life will they then become serious & pay good ,hard money to learn. Those who teach English,or Mathematics privately,will never be out of a job !
Most of you folks must be paid by the politicians. Your remarks make them look good.
should israel teach arabic in her schools, of course this will never happen. this article proves once again,leftis'm is a severe mental disease
It is mandatory for those children to learn Arabic, but Arab students in the Galilee triangle are not required to learn Hebrew? Haaretz duplicity continues to glow
arabic is an essential part of israelis if they want to roll over be weak and let arab assimilation convert them ever so slowly into a minority in their own country. the israelis are weaker then ever, the jewish poeple are weaker then ever, and unfortunately the spineless cant carry the fight their forefathers fought and the right is made up of religio nut cases who think only in terms of god and not in terms of all jews, or peace, or was just god - poison
One of the first demands in peace negotiations should be that Arabic , Engish and Hebrew should also be official languages of the Palestinian Authority and any future state, so that all the people of the Holyland can understand each other, and so the P.A. cant spew fire and hatred in its arabic adresses and speak of peace in its Engish and Hebrew addresses.. This would end the incitement to violence that the Israelis (correctly) accuse the P.A. of.
It will soon be "Press Two for Hebrew" when an Israeli telephones an Israeli company or agency in Israel
Being anywhere on the "press #--" recording would mean a degree of respect, which unfortunatel;y Israeli Arabs have never had, even tho required to pay taxes etc, they consistently & increasingly have become more & more marginalized by the general Israeli public trending to the right...
does NOT require Arabic Studies????????? Please tell me. As far as I know, all relevant programs (HUJI, TAU, Haifa U) indeed Do require a fair level in Modern Standard Arabic, at an advanced level (MA) even a second Mid Eastern language. I am quite astonished, are you really sure what you are writing about??????
After all Hebrew is much easier to learn than Arabic, beeing more or less an artificial language created in a laboratory. Isn't it? N'est-ce pas? Nicht wahr? So desu ne? не правда ли?
What I understand of the bible is through knowing modern Hebrew. Same letters, structure, loads of the same vocab etc. We're not talking about Esperanto here.
It is not fair to Mexicans, either, that all the people to their north speak Englizh, But that is the way it is. If a US citizen wants to understand the Mexicans, he had better learn some Spanish. Están amigos. ¿No?
The arabs are desended from Esau. Those people were the Edomites. God said of them with regard to His decision to honor Jacob instead of Esau,"I will love whom I will Love and hate whom I will hate." That does not imply that God 'hates' the Arab/Edomites, but that His preference for the Hebrew people passed through the type of person that Jacob was instead of the impulsive and irresponsible person that the Bible portrays Esau as being. That being said, the Edomites should be returned to Edom/arabis and Israel should be returned to the Jews.
when Christians and Jews have their indiginous religious nuts.
http://wp.me/pDB7k-tM
to each other,as jacob and esau did,there would long be love,peace and understanding,amongst tears of joy.
"you have chosen us above all nations".not "above all arabs"all nations includes you,unchosen one.
Arabs are descentants of Ismael...and even still some people say they are descentant of the sons of Keturah...ive never heard anyone refer to them as descentants of Esau, clearly you have an agenda by saying that.
are more closely related to the original Jewish peoples of the Levant than the European Jews. If you are referring to blood lines that is and not some racist diatribe. You couldn't even recognize your ancient brethren. But God sees you clearly.
...segregation will not. The Jews will eventually be expelled if they try to dominate the majority forever, repeating history. Recognition of a "Jewish State" is tantamount to recognition of minority rule, since the Jews are a minority in the region, and within Israel proper itself if you include the refugees from 1948, and especially if you include the occupied territories, and even more so if you consider there are 1.5 billion muslims worldwide.
No thanks
The Jews are a majority in Israel. That's all that matters. Other areas aren't relevant. Who is going to expel the Jews? Every time there has been an attempt to expel the Jews in recent history or even an act of aggression against the Jewish state, Israel has won. History repeats itself.
Very positive step towards live and let live, there are still good people with right mind in the world.
During the British Mandate, stamps and currency had English, Hebrew and Arabic on them and this was also continued by Israel. Egyptian occupied Gaza and Jordanian occupied West Bank had only English and Arabic on their stamps and currency.
that is the way of the indigenous arabs that the Cukoo Selfhating Left loves OR We can create a Jewish Israel where every Jewish Child gets 1 daily hour of Jewish heritage studies at School. Where the year is run on the Jewish calendar. This is the Manhigut Yehudit approach advocated by Moshe Feiglin
Thx... I look forward to your response
The self hateing Israeli Left will support anything to destroy the country. This can be by: 1. Importing in 50, 000 PLO terrorists and giving them guns. (Oslo) 2. Giving the same terrorists bases from which to attack us (Itnatkut) 3. Allowing 000s of illegal goyim to stay here in order to dilute down the Jewish nature of the state. They are mentally sick and I mean this in all seriousness.
Ronny, you show your ignorance by being one of those people who like to call your fellow tribesmen "self-hating" when they attempt to integrate the Jewish people into the family of humanity. I say that you are a sel-hating human.
Only the Ashkenazim decreed it to be outlawed, but that decree expired several years ago after more than a hundred years of application. It was only ever applied because they wanted to not stand out in Christian Europe. Many Yemenite Jews are still polygamist cos they and Sephardim and Mizrahim did not outlaw it. And in the state of Israel, its state secular law which outlaws it, not religious law. As for converting to Islam, well you don't need to convert to be included as a fellow Arab. All you need to do is learn and speak Arabic as a first tongue, adopt the culture, and the idenity. Thats how everyone became Arabs, including the Lebanese, Egyptians, Moroccans, Yemenites, and YES, even the Palestinians. Only Arabians are Arabs genealogically. Everyone else called "Arab" are culturally and linguistically Arabized non-Arabians indignous to their own localities. Islamization is separate, even though most who became Arabs also became Muslims. But Most who became Muslims did not become Arabs. Thats why 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs, and 20% of all Arabs are not Muslim.
was there any flag ever jewish nation has ?
There was once a kingdom known as Judea which occupied all of Israel within the so called green line, all of Jordan which includes Judea & Samaria, The Golan and other parts of modern day Lebanon and Syria and its capital was Jerusalem. That state eventually was divided and we had Judea and Israel. The current flag is a modern design based on the flag adopted by the Hagana although whilst not a holy symbol the Magen David ( translated Shield of David ) was believed to be the symbol on King Davids shield. Israels flag is not the same as it was back then for the simple reason that back then countries didn't wave flags there was no emphasis on national symbols like today. Every state in the region today is based on artificial borders drawn up by the french & british empires after WW1. Countries either have more territory than they once did or less, some countries like Jordan have never existed before 1922. The flag the arabs all fly today in some form is not based on some ancient arab flag its based in the flag Faisal of Mecca adopted during the arab revolt during WW1 when for the first time we started talking about the idea of creating independent arab states things that did not exist prior to then. You can't compare the Middle East today to what it was in the times of the kingdom of Judea.
You end your statement with and I quote 'You can't compare the Middle East today to what it was in the times of the kingdom of Judea.' For once we agree. I don't ever want to hear the argument about how Jews were there in biblical times, etc. You just wiped that away finally with that simple statement...
around 3000 years ago. And has been idealized ever since.
http://wp.me/pDB7k-tM
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/UN%20General%20Assembly%20Resolution%20181 # The State shall ensure adequate primary and secondary education for the Arab and Jewish minority, respectively, in its own language and its cultural traditions. The right of each community to maintain its own schools for the education of its own members in its own language, while conforming to such educational requirements of a general nature as the State may impose, shall not be denied or impaired. Foreign educational establishments shall continue their activity on the basis of their existing rights. # No restriction shall be imposed on the free use by any citizen of the State of any language in private intercourse, in commerce, in religion, in the Press or in publications of any kind, or at public meetings.
General Assembly resolutions as such have no legal weight whatsoever. They are merely recommendations. A little research into international law will make this clear.
I am pretty sure your foreign leadership is fast overtaking israeli one .
Yes, I agree that learning arabic is important because you need to know and understand the ennemy or when it will finally recognize the jewishness of the Land of Israel, the neighbour. But the reasons here given are illusional and distorded. Arabic became one of the official languages as a welcome approach in 1948 and this is enough. But as always, give the finger and they want the hand. The welcome approach has proven to be a false and failed approach. There is no way for arabs to feel completely an Israeli citizen unless you change the name of Israel. This must be acknowledged because identity in this part of the world, in opposition to secular Europe and US, is based on religion. The one that wants to elude it, like secular jewish lefties, ad modum young Yossi Sarid, are just living on the moon. Why not to appease the arab minority to write on the flag Israel in arabic and Mohamed rassool Allah like the present iraki flag.
Only here on Haaretz Yossi Sarid the has been is given a voice very very sad and funny at the same time all has beens scream Hoooooray!!!
They are ready to supervize teaching of it and burn on stake everybody not conforming
What are you smoking?
Israelis knowing arabic is not gong to bring s closer together and make us all be friends. You don't suddenly make friends with somebody and start saying lets be good neighbors because they know your language. The Israelis who do know arabic but I doubt they are all peaceknicks or lovers of arab culture because they could understand arabic. The arabs living in Israel they have had hebrew forced onto them because without hebrew they wouldn't be able to get by but we are not friends because they know hebrew and we are living in the same country. Forget the idealism its not going to make us all friends but it is the language of the enemy which is worth knowing and if the saying knowledge is power is true then Israelis will have an extra door open to them in life because they have more skills and thats why government decided it was important for Israeii children to learn arabic it wasn't a peace making gesture of some kind.
Is this really what you'd prefer? 'Language of the enemy'....What's the point of fighting all of the time when all it does is make EVERYONE'S lives miserable. I wouldn't want that for my children or grandchildren. I guess some of us are more visionary than others...
It must be pretty agonizing for you to live with that attitude of despair and hatred for humanity.........
When will Ha'aretz finally be charged with sedition and treason? How long can Israel abide a fifth column, and not take action to protect itself from an leftist propaganda enemies which routinely libels the Jewish State and aids and abets its sworn enemies?
having different opinions is treason? wow clearly some israelis aren't even tolerant of their own people. Having different opinions and debates, etc, is a sign of a healthy intelligent society....why your comments the state has just failed at both.
there was a Jewish majority in Jerusalem back in the 19th century. This is Jewish land for over 3,000 years. The name the Arabs give to Eretz Yisrael, "Palestine" is a LATIN word - is Latin the indigenous language??
Palestine and ARABIC are completely different things of which this article is only talking about Arabic. Why spin the word Palestine into this and try and disenfranchise an entire populas of Arabs as being nonexistent? We don't care if you call it Mars, the arab population who is/was and still remains indigenous to the land.
take a history lesson...the romans named it Palestine...since latin is the language of ancient rome. Take a chill pill jeeze
Back in the nineteenth century Jerusalem belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Palestine is the namw givern to Judah when the Romans wiped out a rebellious faction there in CE 130.
In South Africa,during the apartheid era, the Afrikaners who were less than 15 percent of the poulation, yet they insisted that the majority should learn Afrikaans. The end result was the Soweto riots where the black population revolted against having to learn Afrikaans. The liberal left supported the blacks and the whole world condemed the South Africa apartheid regime. Therefore I sugggest the editor re think his position as I prefer that my kids learn Hebrew, Aramaic and English.
One is the example of an oppressive minority pushing their language on the oppressed majority. The other is the majority learning the language of the oppressed (to a lesser degree in Proper Israel more in The Occupied Territories) minority and the of all it's neighbors. I fail to see the comparrison, but keep trying.
Funny you would bring apartheid south africa into this.....and then compare the israelis to the blacks...HHAHHAHA. Anyways so even though Israeli is in the middle of the MIDDLE EAST where everyone around them speaks arabic you would rather have them speak every language but? smart
arabic announces on airports ? a mosque in knesset ? gaza show rooms at israel's holocaust museum ?
gaza was not a victim of the nazis.
... there is a country with the same flag, not just colors. Are you sure you wanted to remind the Palestinians about that ? Neither them , not that country might be very happy.
what are you trying to do !
That's cheap and ugly.
wasnt that our secret !
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mfa.gov.il%2FMFA%2FPeace%2520Process%2FGuide%2520to%2520the%2520Peace%2520Process%2FDeclaration%2520of%2520Establishment%2520of%2520State%2520of%2520Israel&ei=1NN3TLqMCM-Hca_WgJIG&usg=AFQjCNHSDjEbY9svevjV8SC_ZgxyqRBM-g&sig2=KbwTbsookhsG0DfytarTOA
Official language is Hebrew. In cities with mixed populations, the municipality must ensure that signs are written in both Hebrew and Arabic. The difference between USA and Israel is - that Israel managed to have official language and USA did not. Does anyone say or think that you need to learn Spanish in order to live in the USA? the answer is NO and NO it is for Arabic in Israel. Unless you want to do business with arabs but then, they all speak english or french and they all speak hebrew so let not make a big how you say "stew" about it.
And French used to be the third de facto language in the early days of little Israel. It now seems to be English for things like road signs and Russian for others. Interesting and a little bizarre, that. Arabic, apart from being spoken in vast swathes of this planet of ours, is also very closely related to Hebrew. Ibn Gabirol and many of our other poets and paytanim wrote their oeuvre in Arabic. Arabic is in our history and our culture. Why should it be avoided because of contemporary bigotry?
pupils take in what intersts them in any curriculum.leave it to them what to ignore as a bore.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Israel
Arabic and Hebrew languages belong to the semetic language and they are closely related, but the zionist's extreme hostility against every thing related to arabs religion(s) or history will prevent any kind of reconciliation between the 400 million arabic speaking people and the 5 million jews . The jews have lived among the arab nation without any discrimination and they were able to conserve their own language . The majority of zionists,i believe, are not the descenders of our grandfather Ibraheem. This fact is the cause for considering their state as a colonial, foreign entity .
Likewise, English in America and not Spanish.
BTW alex, bigotry is against the basic tenets of Judaism, you do us no favours
With Israeli students slipping in academic testing, requiring a useful European language would help both in broadening academic skills as well as widening career prospects. What, exactly, is the advantage to l Israeli students learning Arabic? This is a major disservice to our studnets.
is not a "dis-service" on the contrary, it might teach some much needed respect, exercise the brain abit, & who knows, maybe g-d forbid, teach abit more tolerance & understanding...
arent jews supposed to love thy neighbour? one of the ten commandments? i guess for this guy love = disrespect and name calling
Arabic is the language of the invaders.
Are you a joke, or trying to make a joke? You just sound silly.
Modern archeology has shown that Jews are Caanites not descendents of some mythical Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees. "Within the Canaanite group, Hebrew belongs to the sub-group also containing Edomite, Ammonite and Moabite."
That is why most Israelis look russian and speak with russian accents. Yes of course.... because they are indigenous to that part of the world. How brainwashed is your nation to be able to believe such distortions? really amazing.
Jews are hardly caanites, please show where you found this so called "modern archeology". Or are you telling me that Torah is falsified?
well, no, they didn't. but they did speak the ancestor of hebrew, if you will. their language of course is also the ancestor of arabic... and as sidney above says, genetic and archaeological testing has shown that both arabs and jews are descended from these people (instead of being descended from slaves of the mythical exodus out of egypt). the hebrews were a small tribe amongst the canaanites that eventually developed their own language and culture (and religion). so technically both languages are the language of the land. yay.
More accurately: know thy neighbors.