Knesset Summons Owners of Amusement Park that Segregates Jewish, Arab youth

by Yael Branovski, Shlomi Diaz, Hialy Yaakobi-Handelsman, Edna Adato and News Agencies

"Those people who call this racism don't know what they're talking about," a female employee at Superland told Israel Hayom. "Days that are closed off for one sector of the population are a matter of course and based on schools' requests.

Shaken up: Israelis are reeling over reports of racism by an amusement park | Photo credit: Yehoshua Yosef

A furor has broken out following reports of racist profiling by the Superland amusement park near Rishon Lezion. 

Two days after a Jaffa school teacher complained of being unable to purchase tickets for Arab students [LINK], and after Superland staff admitted that the park hosted Jewish and Arab students on separate days, Knesset Education, Culture and Sport Committee Chairman MK Amram Mitzna (Hatnuah), said he would hold an urgent hearing over the incident on Monday, with the owners of the amusement park in attendance.

The amusement park's owners have also decided to revisit their segregation policy, which has led to strong condemnation and public criticism.

The Justice Ministry announced Thursday that it was opening a hotline for complaints about discrimination and racism, saying the line would be staffed from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Israel Hayom called the hotline for several hours on Friday but there was no response. The number is +972 (0)2 620-9558.

The scandal broke following claims by Khaled Shakra, a high-school teacher at the Ajial High School in Jaffa, that he had called Superland to order tickets for his students, and was refused when the sales representative realized his school was Arab. Shakra called again, this time using a Hebrew name, and was sold tickets for the date he wanted.

Following reports of the incident, Education Minister Shay Piron contacted the teacher. "I am shocked and hope this is the last time you experience discrimination of any kind," he said. 

Mitzna has called on Piron to prevent schools from sending students to Superland. 

"The behavior of the owners is a stinging slap in the face to efforts to confront racism in Israeli society and we will not let this pass quietly," Mitzna said. 

"We want to stand up for our rights, but we have to do so in a peaceful way. The students are sad," said the school's principal, Jalal Tuhi, who told reporters he had received an enormous outpouring of support. 

Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon also joined the chorus of condemnations.

"How would any of us respond had an amusement park anywhere in the world admitted that they host 'regular' schools and Jewish schools on different days? I assume I would be shocked and ashamed by such behavior, just as I am shocked and ashamed in this case," he said.

In response to the criticism, the park's management released a statement saying: "Over the years Superland has hosted hundreds of thousands of children from all sectors of society. Recently Superland's management (perhaps mistakenly, but not maliciously) responded to requests from both Jewish and Arab schools to visit the park on different days. We should emphasize that these requests were received separately from both Jewish and Arab schools. 

"In light of this, the company's owners and staff are saddened about the speed with which public representatives and others are trying to present our institution as a place that, God forbid, operates in a racist fashion. This is not the case. There has never been a place for racism. We apologize to Jewish and Arab communities that were hurt as a result of Superland's responsiveness to the schools, and we will work to implement new rules on this matter at the national level." 

Not everyone agreed on Thursday that Superland's policy was mistaken. 

"Those people who call this racism don't know what they're talking about," a female employee at Superland told Israel Hayom. "Days that are closed off for one sector of the population are a matter of course and based on schools' requests. Not every Arab student is bad and there have been schools that we really enjoyed hosting. But there are also ugly incidents in which Arab students come when the park is open to the public. There has been cutting in line, pushing, threats, curses and fist fights. On more than one occasion we had to summon the police after girls and female workers were sexually harassed." 

A resident of Rishon Lezion said, "They [Arab youths at the park] cursed and spit, and when someone said something they made threats. On the day I was there with my children I approached the staff and they tried to help but they were afraid."

Yael Branovski, Shlomi Diaz, Hialy Yaakobi-Handelsman, Edna Adato and News Agencies

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=9651

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