Hebrew Univ. excludes nat'l anthem from graduation, sparking uproar

DEBKAfile was founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service. May 18, 2017, 6:11 PM (IDT)

It was revealed on Thursday that Hebrew University of Jerusalem decided not to play the Israeli national anthem at the graduation ceremony for its faculty of humanities, scheduled to be held later in the day, in an effort to avoid offending Arab sensitivities. A morning radio show played a recording in which an employee of the faculty was heard saying “Hatikvah” will not be played due to “consideration of others”, namely Arab students and their guests.
The news sparked an uproar with a number of Israeli officials blasting the move. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issued a statement calling it “shameful” and “the opposite of national pride”, adding “We are proud of our country, our flag, our anthem”. Education Minister Naftali Bennett spoke to the president of the university by phone, with his office saying later that Hebrew University is a public institution, not a private school, and such an institution should show respect for the country that stands behind it. The university president was said to have promised to look into the issue of Thursday’s ceremony and ensure that the anthem is played at all of the university’s official ceremonies.  

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