Tel-Aviv University cancelled the singing of Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, in order not to offend Arab students.
In a first, Tel-Aviv University’s Faculty of Humanities decided to nix the singing of Israel’s national anthem during its graduation ceremony in order not to offend Arab students.
According to a report by Channel 10, the new dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Professor Leo Corry, ordered the cancellation the singing of Hatikvah “out of consideration of the feelings of Arab students.” Instead, the ceremony held last week concluded with Israeli singer Arik Einstein’s “Me and You.”
The news sparked outrage among students at the university.
Niv Nabha, a second-year humanities student, said: “As a student studying in the Humanities faculty, I am ashamed by the university’s actions but am not surprised. This is merely another episode of the university’s continuous and unjust capitulation to the Arab student population.”
Sapir Yadid, a third-year humanities student, said that this broadens the divide among Israeli society.
“Hatikvah is the national anthem of both Jewish and Arab citizens living in Israel. The university’s premise that it is only exclusive to Jews only widens the gap between us. Whoever is unhappy about our anthem is welcome to study elsewhere,” said Yadid.
Matan Peleg, CEO of the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu, called the decision “disgraceful” and “embarrassing.”
“This decision is the height of servility and absurdity,” said Peleg, “but is unfortunately not surprising. This is a logical outcome in a university that allows inciting protests calling for violence on its grounds and that fails to discipline a professor who cancels class out of solidarity with Hamas terrorists in Gaza.”
“The writing is on the wall and we cannot ignore it,” Peleg stated.