Try as one may, one cannot envision a similar situation in the United States or any other sane democratic country, but in the State of Israel, anything is possible. In Israel, where many work hard to replace Yiddishkheit with becoming a “Israeli”, it appears some have lost all sense of their own national pride as Zionists.

Graduation is scheduled for Thursday night the eve of 23 Iyar for Hebrew University’s faculty of the humanities. According to a Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) report, one employee of the department has complained that Hatikvah is not going to be played at graduation so as to avoid offending Arab students and guests who will be participating in the event. This is not the first time the decision was made to ban Hatikvah from graduation at Hebrew U.

One can only imagine what the response would be if a chareidi seminar or college did not play Hatikvah – but here, to accommodate Arabs who benefit from the state which they oppose, we dare not offend them.

“Im Tirtzu” contacted the dean of the department calling for Hatikvah to be a part of the graduation. The University responded, explaining the Council of Higher Education does not compel Hatikvah at graduation so there is no place for complaints.

Interestingly however, the same liberals who control Israel’s higher education are repulsed if and when insults are leveled against Israeli Arabs, accusing them of being less loyal to the state.

It is the academics who are first to voice their opinion. Their response is usually, “They are good citizens with the same rights as we have”, but it appears these rights are not accompanied by responsibilities or loyalty for one must remove playing the national anthem at graduation to avoid insulting theses patriots.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)