Education Minister Naftali Bennett arrives at weekly cabinet meeting at Prime Minister off
Education Minister Naftali Bennett arrives at weekly cabinet meeting at Prime Minister offצילום: Emil Salman/POOL Flash 90

Jewish Home Party chairman and Education Minsiter Naftali Bennett instructed the director-general of the Education Ministry to to examine the complaint about a play at the Jaffa Theater that deals with "the problem of the Arab refugees."

The minister asked the ministry staff to pass recommendations to him within a week.

The play was inspired by the story of the capture of the Arab village of Tantura in 1948 by IDF forces and the controversy among several Israeli historians over the possibility that during the IDF soldiers may have massacred the residents of the village.

The theater's website emphasizes that the characters in the play and all the events that occur in it are the imagination of the playwright, but also writes that the play talks about the "trauma" which occurred as a result of Israel's War of Independence.

The declared purpose of the play is to accelerate the process of reconciliation with the Israeli Arab population and to facilitate the establishment of a common society in Israel, parts of which live side by side in recognition and mutual acceptance.

Matan Peleg, the director of the Im Tirtzu movement, wrote to Education Minister Bennett this week: "I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the play 'Hoda'ah' (admission), which deals with the Arab refugee problem in 1948 is part of the Education Ministry's National Culture Basket."

"In the description of the play, messages are presented that wish to portray IDF soldiers as occupiers and murderers," Peleg said. "It is inconceivable that the Education Ministry, which is responsible for instilling the values ​​of love for the country would present this play to the students of Israel."

"As someone who has championed Zionist education as a supreme value, you must prevent this presentation from being included in the budget of your ministry. Such a reality, in which the Education Ministry funds plays that present a false narrative that has no relation with the historical facts, is an absurdity unlike anything else."

"We call upon you to act immediately to remove the play from the national culture basket and thus stop the great confusion that exists among Israeli citizens and students," added Im Tirtzu.