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Israeli authorities are demanding both Arab and Jewish high school students to pass an online course, deemed as “racist ideology”, prior to embarking on exchange programs abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The<\/span> <\/span>course<\/span><\/a> has been presented under the name of “Hasbara” (Hebrew name for Israeli Public Diplomacy) and encourages students to be “ambassadors of Israel” as<\/span> <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> by the Times of Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The online course expects students to watch a series of videos after which they must finish a multiple choice exam.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This requirement for students who wish to pursue educational exchange programs has been<\/span> <\/span>deemed as racist<\/span><\/a> by the Legal Center for Arab Minorities Rights in Israel, Adalah. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adalah<\/span> <\/span>translated<\/span><\/a> some of the questions presented to students after analysing the videos. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example, one question asks: “How do Palestinian organisations use digital social networks?” The correct answer in the test is “encouraging violence”.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another question requires students to identify the origins of modern anti-Semitism. The two correct answers under the course’s regulations are: “Muslim organisations” and the “<\/span>BDS movement<\/span><\/a>”. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Masar Institute for Education, a school based in Nazareth, cancelled its annual student exchange delegation to Sweden as the institute refused to force their pupils to undergo an exam that<\/span> <\/span>propagates a “racist ideology”<\/span><\/a>. Over 25 Arab-Israeli students take part in the exchange program every year.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Attorney of Adalah, Nareman Shehadeh-Zoabi<\/span> <\/span>presented a letter<\/span><\/a> to the Israeli Education Ministry on 18 June as a representative of the association of the Masar Institute and their students and parents, demanding to eliminate the compulsory measure.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the letter, Adalah<\/span> <\/span>denounced<\/span><\/a> that the “propaganda exam focuses on core issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict that are the subject of deep political controversy, and students are required to choose specific ‘correct‘ positions, as though they reflect an objective factual truth.” <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n “The course presents a racist ideological perspective that creates an equivalence between Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim identities and violence and terrorism”. Adalah attorney<\/span> <\/span>added<\/span><\/a> that “this is especially grave for Palestinian Arab teenagers who, with this exam, are being forced to internalise humiliating statements about themselves and their families”.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n