The article is a bit one-sided. If I were a reporter, I would have tried also to get a comment from a Hebrew-speaker at the school on the decision. As presented, this is a very extreme decision. The main question it raises is "why"? There may be a very good reason not to allow Arabic in this school. Or it may be racist and counterintuitive. We don't know without more facts.

if some people knew how to speak arabic if they go into the wrong areas maybe they will not get jumped then...

I can't believe it!! Can you forbid somebody to speak(not only arabic) but any language? In 2010???? Let's see how does it take the Education Ministry to take action. An example has to be given in the name of democracy.

This article seems one-sided. If I were the reporter, I would want to talk to Hebrew-speaking students in addition, to see if there is another perspective on this story. On the surface, this seems racist and unnecessary, but what are we not being told? What prompted this policy decision? For comparison, we could say that the separation wall between Jewish and Arab neighborhoods in some parts of Israel is racist and unnecessary, until we discover that there were suicide bombers killing Jews before the wall went up and no more suicide bombings afterward. So about this school policy: please tell us the rest of the story.

I thought it was bad as well until the teacher explained she can not tell what they are saying therefor can't correct them or punish them if they say something bad or wrong. Arabic would be a fine second language for Jews to learn, not as common as English but very useful for Jews whose neighbours all speak arabic.

recent events make it feels like there is a competition in Israel on who is more racist..wonder what's next

Arabic forbidden in school (in ISRAEL) Good. Speak Hebrew or go away.

I am a Jaffa resident and I have a kid who is 7 and goes to a mixed school here in Jaffa. I am disgusted by this, we are an immigrant family from the UK and there are few other Anglo families with Kids at the school, and I know for a fact that our kids talk English in class and during breaks in the playground. I hope the headmaster of the school does not suddenly clamp down on English as well! Or is it all languages, as there are some Arab kids, a few French too! This is a stupid and petty rule and cannot be enforced, Arabic is one of the official languages of israel, it is allowed to be spoken in school. I encourage my kid to learn Arabic and he has had private lessons and this is causing harm where there was no harm! I wonder if the principal will come down on the Russian kids at school, who stick together, and speak on Russian, which is not an official language. My son has been told off for speaking English, but when I went to complain i told him straight that he has no right! I suggest the Arabs do the same and you have my support.

In that case, why is arabic not taught in Israeli schools, and vice-versa arabs should have classes in Hebrew.

At home Jews speak Hebrew,and Moslems Arabic.Intermingling of vocabulary from different societies,waters down languages which should be abhored by both Arab and Jewish families.Retention of culture and religion means seperation in school time too..The principle ,being Jewish supports this idealism for in the long run,do we want to speak "Ivar" ?(Ivrit+ Arabic)...The answer lies within this school.

He's a principal Idiot is what he is and clearly not fit to run a school - or a boy scout raffle come to that. Arabic is one of many languages spoken in Israel - respect it and accept it.

if the class is hold in hebrew, then no student should speak any other language - inside the classroom. if its an arabic class, then only arabic should be spoken... the teacher and other students simply might not understand what is said... is this really racism ?

every Jew should learn arabic and one or more asian and one or more european languages. one does not defend the nation from a citadel of ignorance.

Why not just send your child to an Arab school?

if a class is hebrew/arabic/english is - i would think - determined by the teacher. and the language he speaks during the class is leading. and what are the people now protesting for: (a) to speak arabic, when the teacher speaks hebrew, or (b) that also hebrew mustnt be spoken, when the teacher speaks arabic ?

if we lost our language, will we lose our identity as well and vice versa.....do you agree with me or not?!!

Going through your post, just for fun I have tried to pick out the English words which come from England's German invaders (G) and the words which were brought over with the later French invaders (Fr). So many other tribes invaded and were then assimilated into Britain that some words marked (G) for german may be from Vikings or Danes. At (G) home ( G) Jews speak (G) Hebrew and (G) Moslems Arabic. Intermingling (Lat,Fr) of (G) vocabulary (Fr) from different (Fr) societies,(Fr) waters (G) down (G) languages (Fr) which (G) should be (G) abhored (?) by both (G) Arab and (G) Jewish families.(Fr) Retention (Fr ) of (G) culture (Fr) and (G) religion (Fr) means (G) seperation (Fr) in school (G) time (G) too (G) ..The (G) principle (Fr) ,being(G) Jewish (G) supports (Fr) this (G) idealism (Fr) for (G) in (G) the(G) long (G) run (G) do we (G) want (G) to speak(G) "Ivar" ?(Ivrit+ Arabic)...The (G) answer (?) lies (G) within (G) this (G) school.(G)

Journalism 101 would say in order to write a complete story, one would be required to report from both sides. Unfortunately Ynet does not put these restrictions on their "journalists". So how about a retraction of this story and re-publish it when you have a statement and explanation from the Principle?

We spoke russian in school although it probably annoyed some people, but we didn't care.

All of the Hebrew in the posters held by the Israeli Arab Citizens of Jaffa are written in 100% correct Hebrew! How many Israeli Jewish Citizens can write signs in 100% Arabic? Answer: very few!

You can go home to Jordan which constitutes 80% of British Mandatorial Palestine. If you are unhappy in the Jewish State of Israel you are completely free to cross the Allenby Bridge & go home to Arabic Jordan which is your "Palestine"

Enough with the Hebrew and Arabic. Of course, I'm a bit biased. :-)

to understand the arabs what they say between them.

I just wanted to say, whether we agree or disagree (and we have both), your posts are both thoughtful and intelligent. That deserves to be noted.

Well-said! I am curious to find out what the other half of this story reveals.

Language is beautiful, and neither Arabic, English or Swahili challenges Israel or Judaism. Children raised with multiple languages perform better in school, have more skills for the future and more options in the job market. This is not the point, though. What this IS though, is thought control! Few actions rise to this level of sin. To promulgate laws restricting what languages children may be taught and speak is a heinous act. What's next? All Arabs wear arm bands? All Bedouins and Arabs must live in camps? What are we becoming? And what will our children be, growing up in this kind of world? So many have sacrificed so much for this country. To see it all destroyed because of racism, bigotry, hatred and anger is just wrong!

speaking and listen and learn. I regret that over the years I hear less and less people speaking english here. Also on occasion less Hebrew. Hebrew should be the first language of Israel followed by english. Let the children learn arabic,chinese, spanish in school also. We need to communicate with the rest of the world.

THIS MOVE IS STUPID AS YITZCHAK SHAMIR SAID THE SEA IS THE SAME SEA AND THE ARABS THE SAME ARABS.