With a smug, self-satisfied expression on his face, Ashkelon Mayor Itamar Shimoni took to Channel 2 on Aug. 31 to read a letter he had received from Avital Benshalom, the newly appointed principal of that city’s School of the Arts. In her letter, Benshalom clarifies that she considers herself a Zionist and a patriot and believes military service to be a civic duty.
Shimoni was interviewed about why he opposed Benshalom's appointment: He had been informed by several parents that in 2002, Benshalom had signed a petition in support of soldiers refusing to serve in Judea and Samaria. Parents demanded that Shimoni block the appointment and even threatened a school strike if she became principal. Shimoni, a member of the Likud Party, was quick to support the parents and asked the Ministry of Education to rescind Benshalom’s appointment.
