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Studentsצילום: College of Law and Business

Incitement under the guise of academia? A left-wing NGO which is active in preventing minorities from doing army or national service has initiated an academic program which provides accreditation to students who volunteer with the organization.

The 'Ebert Fellows for Social Justice' program is affiliated with the New Israel Fund and offers students a syllabus which combines courses with practical work in organizations. The program grants participants four recognized academic credits.

The project is being offered this year at the Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University and at the Oranim College, whereas in previous years the project was implemented in additional institutions.

Among the organizations taking part in the project is the 'Baladna' organization which has worked over the last few years against minority enlistment in the IDF and in National Service.

The organization has been working against National Service since 2007 when it produced a campaign against members of the Arab sector taking part in National Service.

In the last few years the organization released clips against army and National Service enlistment for minorities.

Baladna is supported by the New Israel Fund and receives about 100,000 dollars a year in the last few years for its activities as well as receiving more than a million shekels from the EU in 2015.

Matan Peleg, head of the 'Im Tirtzu' organization, sent letters to the head of the Council for Higher Education as well as Education Minister Naftali Bennett demanding the immediate cessation of funding for the program a well as stopping its academic accreditation.

"We view with great severity.the incitement against minorities wishing to serve in the IDF and National Service and to meld into Israeli society. We demand that the Education Ministry and the Council for Higher Education remove 'Baladna' from their list of organizations which can offer a recognized specialization. Moreover we demand that they immediately stop academic recognition of the program."

Peleg also demanded an inquiry into all the external academic programs funded by the Council for Higher Education in order to ascertain which of them support anti-Zionist activities.

He said it was absurd that such programs should continue to receive state support.