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Israeli Arabs Help to Debunk Apartheid Myths

(Canadian Jewish News) Sheri Shefa - Eight Israelis who identify as Jewish, Muslim, Druze or Bedouin were brought to Toronto by StandWithUs Canada as part of a program called WordSwap, hoping to get the last word on the Israeli apartheid debate. Muhamed Heeb, 27, a Bedouin Muslim, said he was happy to have an opportunity to tour Ontario universities to dispel some of the damaging myths perpetuated by Israel Apartheid Week (IAW) organizers. "Some did not know there are Arabs in Israel. A lot of people were surprised," said Heeb, a University of Haifa student who is obtaining his master's in public policy. Rabea Bader, 23, a Tel Aviv University student and a member of Israel's Druze community, said he met a number of people at U of T who were shocked to learn that Arabs live in Israel. "I said, 'I'm living proof,'" he said, and conversed with them in Arabic to convince them. "I see how Israel is misrepresented in the media....They're accusing Israel of apartheid...and you know it's not true, but if you don't stand up and say it's not true, a lot of people are going to believe these lies." Heeb described an IAW event at U of T: "They wanted to boycott Ben-Gurion University, so I said, 'Listen guys, Ben-Gurion University has the most Arab girls, Bedouin girls, studying there, more than [schools in] Arab countries.'"
2014-03-21 00:00:00
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