AJC Condemns Arson Attack on Jerusalem Jewish-Arab School

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Nov 30, 2014, 09:53 ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AJC condemned the overnight arson attack on a Jewish-Arab school in Jerusalem. A classroom at the bilingual Hand in Hand school was badly damaged and hateful anti-Arab graffiti was scrawled on the walls of the building.

"Hand in Hand is an inspiring example of the effort to strengthen Jewish-Arab relations in Israel, and to build a platform of coexistence and mutual understanding," said AJC Executive Director David Harris. "The perpetrators of this despicable act not only harm an innovative school, but also attack an essential pillar of Israel."

Hand in Hand operates five bilingual schools across Israel, where hundreds of Arab and Jewish youngsters learn together in classes from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.

The Jerusalem Hand In Hand school was the target of such hateful graffiti as "Death to Arabs," "(Meir) Kahane was right," and "There is no coexistence with cancer."

"This is not the first time that our shared civic endeavor has been targeted. Even when they stain our school walls, they will not succeed in destroying our work," said Hand in Hand CEO Shuli Dichter.

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SOURCE American Jewish Committee