Mayor Samir Subhi Mahamid accused MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) of staging an 'absurd' visit to educational institutions in Umm al-Fahm on Sunday, noting that schools have been on summer break since June 20. Sukkot is chairing a Knesset Education Committee tour of the city despite the municipal strike called to protest the move.
The dispute over MK Zvi Sukkot's school inspections in Umm al-Fahm escalated Sunday as Mayor Samir Subhi Mahamid dismissed the Knesset Education Committee chair's tour as 'absurd,' pointing out that schools have been closed for summer vacation since June 20. The mayor's remarks, reported by journalist Or Ravid, come after the municipality declared a strike and closed educational institutions in protest of the visit.
As The Zioneer reported Saturday, Sukkot (Religious Zionism) planned to visit schools in the Arab city despite the municipal strike. The move follows a pattern by Sukkot, who chairs the Education Committee, of conducting inspections in Arab and East Jerusalem schools over what he describes as incitement and unauthorized curricula. Previous visits — including to a school in Shuafat earlier this month where police seized materials Sukkot's team said incite terrorism — have drawn sharp local and political backlash.
The mayor's framing of the visit as staged during an academic break — when no students or regular classes are present — undercuts the stated purpose of an educational oversight tour. Sukkot's office has not publicly responded to the timing complaint.
2 developments
- DevelopingUmm al-Fahm mayor convenes emergency meeting over planned MK Sukkot school visit
- DevelopingMK Zvi Sukkot invites educational teams to tour Umm al-Fahm schools
- DevelopingMK Jebareen accuses MK Sukkot of inciting against Umm al-Fahm ahead of planned visit
- StrongMK Tzvi Sukkot prevented from entering school in Umm al-Fahm amid protests
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