An official Knesset Education Committee tour of the northern Israeli-Arab town of Tuba-Zangariyye on Thursday ran into violent opposition. Committee Chairman MK Tzvi Sukkot arrived in the town as part of a series of visits by the committee to Israeli-Arab educational institutions to examine the violence prevention education programs and the shared working interfaces with the Israel Police in the sector.
The tense visit follows an earlier confrontation between MK Sukkot and crime families that operate in the town and terrorize business owners by extorting protection fees.
Following the confrontation, Tuba-Zangariyye Local Council Head Muayid Hayb sent direct threats to the MK, declaring that if the Education Committee attempts to visit the schools and education institutions in the town, he would personally block their entry.
Despite the threats, the committee chair refused to cancel the visit and arrived in the town as planned. Upon arrival, the committee members were met with physical and violent attempts to prevent the tour from beginning, led by the Council Head and town residents.
The protesters locked the gates to the school with iron chains, and when security forces arrived, clashes, which included assaults on police officers, erupted.
Sukkot commented on the clashes: "Threats won't deter us. Unfortunately, we revealed that the educational system in Tuba-Zangariyye teaches crime, violence, bullying, and racketeering. We will work to stop the funding of this failed education system. There is no reason for the State of Israel to invest even one shekel in an education system that leads to crime and violence and makes the lives of the area's residents miserable."