The visit by Knesset Education Committee Chairman MK Tzvi Succot to the Nur al-Huda school in Shuafat, where alleged connections were uncovered between school officials and individuals linked to Hamas and organizations designated as terrorist groups, has sparked controversy in Arab media and drawn strong reactions on social media.
The Arab website Al-Arab connected Succot's tour of the Shuafat school to a previous visit he made to an educational institution in Tuba-Zangariyye. That visit also received coverage in Arab media after local residents protested against him. The tour was held under heavy security following disturbances and threats that Succot said had also appeared on social media.
Over the past month, Succot has been touring schools and educational institutions in Arab communities as part of an effort to examine programs aimed at combating violence, as well as cooperation between schools, police, and state authorities.
Other Arab media outlets criticized the visit, describing it as an "assault." The New Arab website reported that residents of Shuafat fear the closure of "Palestinian education" institutions in Jerusalem and claimed that the purpose of the visit was to promote the closure of the school. The report said those concerns grew following the closure of UNRWA facilities in eastern Jerusalem.
In response, Succot said in the Knesset: "Threats will not deter me. The series of visits and discussions I am conducting regarding the education system in Arab society are critical for the future of the State of Israel. We must ensure that through the education system in Arab society, we also fight crime and work to strengthen recognition of the existence of the State of Israel," he added.