Education delegation in Italy - and the outrageous demand: 'Disavow the occupation of Gaza'

A delegation of about a hundred Jewish educators from the US and Israel was invited to a professional training program in northern Italy, but encountered a preliminary political demand: to sign a declaration disavowing the "occupation of Gaza." The organizers canceled the trip for the American group; the 25 Israelis will arrive as planned.

About a hundred Jewish educators from the United States and Israel were invited to a professional training program in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, to study the local early childhood education method. Even before their arrival, the visit became embroiled in a political storm: participants were required to sign a declaration disavowing "the occupation of Gaza and the violation of the rights of children and people in the occupied territories." Following this demand, the program organizers canceled the trip for the American group. In contrast, 25 Israeli educators announced they would arrive as planned. The dispute had begun earlier, when parents associated with the host organization Reggio Children objected to the visit, claiming that some institutions "support the IDF." The local branch of the Italian workers' union joined the demand to cancel the visit. Last Tuesday, a protest of about a hundred people took place outside the educational center. The mayor of Reggio Emilia, Marco Massari, defended the decision to host the group, saying that "to receive someone also means to recognize the right of those who are different from us to remain different." The Israelis did not publicly explain why they decided to come, and it was not reported whether they signed the declaration.