Press Release

American Federation of Teachers Condemns Anti-Democratic Events in Israel

For Release:

Contact:

Oriana Korin
202-374-6103
okorin@aft.org

WASHINGTON—AFT President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement in response to Israel passing a nation-state law:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed—and by a slim majority the Israeli Knesset has passed—a so-called nation-state law that repudiates the democratic, egalitarian and pluralist values on which the state of Israel was founded. It is a giant leap backward for the people of Israel. It is anti-Arab and anti-minority, and it embodies a bigotry and authoritarianism that I fear was energized and emboldened by the current U.S. president. 

“We condemn this despicable law, as well as the anti-gay surrogacy law the Knesset recently enacted, and the detainment of Rabbi Dov Haiyun for conducting a non-Orthodox marriage. These anti-democratic and nativist actions make it more imperative to support the progressive voices in Israel who are fighting to reclaim Israel’s place as a functional, thriving democracy in the Middle East.”

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The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.