Anti-Israel Propaganda ‘Own Goal’: Jihad Me At “Graduated University”

A number of anti-Israel social media accounts and websites have posted about the 85-year-old palestinian Arab grandmother who just graduated from university and received a BA in Islamic studies. They are careful to mention how the “Nakba” interrupted her studies, but she persevered and accomplished her dreams.

But here’s the thing. She earned this degree at a university in Israel.

This week, the 85-year-old from al-Mujaydil in Palestine graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Kafr Bara’s university of Islamic studies.

In other words, Israeli-Arabs like Jihad Battu have great educational opportunities in the so-called “apartheid” state of Israel. In fact, Kafr Bara is one of the best examples of how Israel, despite missteps over the years, is trying to invest more in the Arab towns.

In general, Arab-Israelis look upon this locality as the Arab equivalent of Savyon, a posh and expensive town of Jewish inhabitants near Israel’s international airport. 

Another fruit of the innovative and open-minded leadership, further reflecting the openness of the community- is a new “Innovative” Middle and High-school compound which is currently being planned by the local leadership, together with the Education Ministry. This innovative compound is only one of two such initiatives, funded by the Israeli government in Arab cities/towns throughout the country and that is, despite the fact that Kfar Bara is such a small locality. 

Finally, the municipality, along with the Economy Ministry, is promoting the establishment of another major sustainable source of income- namely, an industrial park, which shall diversify employment opportunities for local and nearby inhabitants and also strengthen the municipality’s income via business taxes. Adjacent to this park, a construction waste disposal and recycling plant has been established by the municipality, despite endless political strife and adversity from the local inhabitants. Over time, the mayor’s vision of providing sustainable environmental solutions, which may also provide income for the local government, finally won over his adversaries on the matter. 

In others words, the inspiring story of Jihad Battu is also an example of how Israel is exactly not what the people mostly spreading her story claim.

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