Education Minister and Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett called the left-wing Peace Now organization "Liars Now" after it alleged that Arabs are barred from studying at Ariel University.
On Sunday, Ariel University in Samaria inaugurated its new medical school. The new medical department, Israel's sixth, is expected to increase the number of medical students from its current number of 760 students to approximately 950 by 2020 and was the result of a multi-year effort spearheaded by Bennett.
Following the ceremony, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked lauded Bennett for his success in bringing Ariel University's new medical school to fruition. "Greetings to Minister of Education Naftali Bennett on the realization of the vision and the establishment of the medical school in Ariel. Dozens of students a year will not have to travel abroad," she tweeted.
Following the tweet, Peace Now alleged that Ariel University was barring Arab students from studying at its facilities. "She will not tell you that this is a school where the entrance and studies are for Jews only ... You already know why," tweeted the organization.
Bennett responded by calling the NGO "Liars Now". Thousands of Arab students are studying at Ariel University," he said.
Over 1000 students are enrolled at the Samaria-based university, which has sustained that number since at least 2011. The Arab students make up roughly a fifth of the student body and the school has built a prayer room to accommodate its Arab population.
Ariel University's chancellor in 2012 emphasized only students loyal to Israel were accepted, noting that every student, Jew or Arab, is required to take a course in Judaism, Zionism or Israel each semester.