Why one Israeli Knesset member is calling out colleagues on racism
In an Al-Monitor interview, former Welfare Minister Meir Cohen, of Mizrahi origin, challenged the acceptance of racist practices among his Knesset colleagues.
As the Knesset debated whether to repeal the law requiring all schools funded by the state to teach the core subjects of math, English and science on July 26, Meir Cohen of Yesh Atid approached the speaker’s podium to accuse the ultra-Orthodox Knesset members of racism. “I’m not letting you off the hook. I’m not talking about learning English, nor am I talking about learning math,” said the former welfare minister. “What I am talking about is that the Core Studies Law that we passed denied licenses to educational institutions and schools that would not accept Sephardic girls as students. That is what you are trying to hide.”
Everybody knows what happened next. The Knesset voted to repeal the Core Studies Law. It effectively erased one of Yesh Atid’s proudest achievements from its time in the previous government.
