ISRAEL: Education Ministry touts anti-Arab, pro-theocracy book for Israeli schools.

ISRAEL: Education Ministry touts anti-Arab, pro-theocracy book for Israeli schools. [archive]

It tells the story of Rabbi Shaul Yisraeli, who was a leading rabbi of religious Zionism, by means of two children, Uri and Yael, who travel though time and meet Rabbi Yisraeli at various points in his life story in Israel and abroad.

One chapter tells about the period prior to the declaration of the state. “I deeply hope that we really do win but until that happens we shall have to pray a great deal and make a huge effort,” says one of the characters. “The Arabs will not sit quietly. … They will not agree to stop until Heaven forbid they wipe out every settlement and every Jewish dot on the map! You must know: The Arabs have a clear plan about how to attack every settlement, to conquer the place, to burn all the houses and Heaven forbid to throw us all into the sea.”

In another chapter there is a discussion of Jewish law on milking cows on the Sabbath. “When we were outside the land no one ever even thought about touching his cow on the Sabbath. They just called in the gentile neighbor and he did the work for us. But here, in our land, that’s not how it goes. The Arab gentiles live in villages of their own and we have no desire to have them here among us, and along the way they might also harm us or spy on us.”