Key facts
- A general strike has been announced across all schools in Umm al-Fahm, a Palestinian city within Israel.
- The strike is in protest of a planned visit by far-right Israeli lawmaker Zvi Succot.
- Succot, who chairs the Knesset Education Committee, stated his visit aimed to ensure state funding is not misdirected.
- City leaders described the visit as a "provocative step" and an attempt to politicise schools, citing safety concerns.
- Yousef Jabarin, head of the Hadash party and a resident, labeled Succot an "inciter and racist."
Parents and community leaders in Umm al-Fahm, a major Palestinian city within Israel, have announced a general strike across all schools in response to a planned visit by far-right Israeli lawmaker Zvi Succot. Succot, a member of the Religious Zionism party and chair of the Knesset Education Committee, stated his intention to visit the city on Sunday to scrutinize the use of state funding in schools he accused of inviting terrorist organizations to speak to pupils.
The city's parents' committee declared that all educational institutions, including special education programs, would close due to safety concerns and escalating tensions. They characterized Succot's visit as a "provocative step" and an effort to politicize schools. Yousef Jabarin, head of the Hadash party and a resident of Umm al-Fahm, condemned Succot as an "inciter and racist," asserting that residents would oppose what he termed hate speech.