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Gazans Rush to Learn the 'Language of the Enemy' in a Bid to Improve Living Conditions
Gazans Rush to Learn the 'Language of the Enemy' in a Bid to Improve Living Conditions
Sputnik International
A Gaza-based teacher, who has been teaching Hebrew for years, says he has seen a spike in the demand for his classes. Some enroll in his school to be able to... 12.04.2022, Sputnik International
2022-04-12T05:26+0000
2022-04-12T05:26+0000
2023-01-15T17:25+0000
gaza strip
hebrew
israel
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Before the 1990s, Israel's official language was taught in many Palestinian schools in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 Hebrew has lost its status.Tensions between the two peoples, the second Intifada, and the four wars between Israel and Hamas - who controls the Gaza Strip - have pushed many Palestinians to despise Hebrew. For years, it has been branded as "the language of the enemy". Very few wanted to learn it, and those who opted to do so were viewed with suspicion by society.Hebrew Gaining PopularityYet, this negative attitude towards the language appears to be changing. Last June, Israel welcomed a new government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. From the very beginning, his coalition - which is comprised of several liberal parties - has vowed to improve the nation's security situation, and the idea was that it would make a few concessions to Hamas in exchange for long-lasting quiet in the country.One such concession is the decision to grant work permits to some 10,000 Gazans, who have been struggling to make a living in the impoverished enclave, where poverty and unemployment rates have reached unprecedented levels.Following that move in October of last year, tens of thousands of Gazans lined up outside chambers of commerce across the enclave in the hopes of obtaining permits to work inside Israel. And many also rushed to enroll in Hebrew classes to study the language of their future employers.Salim Shamali, a 39-year-old father of six from the Gaza Strip, says he joined Hebrew classes a month ago, shortly after he submitted his papers to the Israeli authorities to obtain a work permit.Shamali is far from being alone. Ahmed Al-Falit, a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, has been teaching the language for years, and he says his business is now booming.Hebrew Is a Must?Al-Falit says he understands the urge and the curiosity to study Hebrew. He himself learned it in an Israeli prison, where he had been incarcerated for 20 years on charges of terrorism. Just as many other inmates, he managed to obtain a university degree while serving his sentence. When he was released in 2011 as part of the Gilad Shalit deal, he decided to use that knowledge and turn it into a profession.The teacher says his students share his views. For them, it is an opportunity to improve their living conditions and put food on the table, and Shamali, who has been enjoying Al-Falit's classes reassures that studying Hebrew has even improved his attitude towards Israel and its people."These classes have enabled me to learn more about Israeli culture and its people. Suddenly, I realised that many of them, those who immigrated from Arab countries, share our culture. And what I also realised is that they too want to live in peace", concluded Shamali.
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gaza strip, hebrew, israel
gaza strip, hebrew, israel
Gazans Rush to Learn the 'Language of the Enemy' in a Bid to Improve Living Conditions
05:26 GMT 12.04.2022 (Updated: 17:25 GMT 15.01.2023) A Gaza-based teacher, who has been teaching Hebrew for years, says he has seen a spike in the demand for his classes. Some enroll in his school to be able to communicate with their future employers, while others do so to get acquainted with Israeli culture and traditions.
Before the 1990s, Israel's official language was taught in many Palestinian schools in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994 Hebrew has lost its status.
Tensions between the two peoples, the second Intifada, and the four wars between Israel and Hamas - who controls the Gaza Strip - have pushed many Palestinians to despise Hebrew. For years, it has been branded as "the language of the enemy". Very few wanted to learn it, and those who opted to do so were viewed with suspicion by society.
Hebrew Gaining Popularity
Yet, this negative attitude towards the language appears to be changing. Last June, Israel welcomed a new government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. From the very beginning, his coalition - which is comprised of several liberal parties - has vowed to improve the nation's security situation, and the idea was that it would make a few concessions to Hamas in exchange for long-lasting quiet in the country.
One such concession is the decision to
grant work permits to some 10,000 Gazans, who have been struggling to make a living in the impoverished enclave, where poverty and unemployment rates have reached unprecedented levels.
Following that move in October of last year, tens of thousands of Gazans lined up outside chambers of commerce across the enclave in the hopes of obtaining permits to
work inside Israel. And many also rushed to enroll in Hebrew classes to study the language of their future employers.
Salim Shamali, a 39-year-old father of six from the Gaza Strip, says he joined Hebrew classes a month ago, shortly after he submitted his papers to the Israeli authorities to obtain a work permit.
"Learning Hebrew is important for me because it would enable me to communicate with my future bosses. But, even more importantly, it will enable me to understand Israeli culture and the way they think".
Shamali is far from being alone. Ahmed Al-Falit, a Palestinian from the Gaza Strip, has been teaching the language for years, and he says his business is now booming.
"In recent months, I have seen an increase of 400 percent in the number of students who come to my classes. The vast majority of these students come to study the language to be able to interact with their future employers. But some are coming here out of curiosity. Simply because they want to know Hebrew".
Al-Falit says he understands the urge and the curiosity to study Hebrew. He himself learned it in an Israeli prison, where he had been incarcerated for 20 years on charges of terrorism. Just as many other inmates, he managed to obtain a university degree while serving his sentence. When he was released in 2011 as
part of the Gilad Shalit deal, he decided to use that knowledge and turn it into a profession.
"If I was a decision-maker in Gaza, I would have encouraged all people to go and study this language", says Al-Falit. "Israel is our neighbour, whether we like it or not. And we might disagree with its politics but we must understand their mentality, and this can only be achieved through learning their language".
The teacher says his students share his views. For them, it is an opportunity to improve their living conditions and put food on the table, and Shamali, who has been enjoying Al-Falit's classes reassures that studying Hebrew has even improved his attitude towards Israel and its people.
"These classes have enabled me to learn more about Israeli culture and its people. Suddenly, I realised that many of them, those who immigrated from Arab countries, share our culture. And what I also realised is that they too want to live in peace", concluded Shamali.
