Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) approved an initiative to open a spoken-Arabic course for all lawmakers in the Knesset, regardless of faction. The initiative came at the behest of Knesset Director-General Ronen Plot as well as a group of MKs.

MKs from the Joint Arab List Ayman Odeh, Ahmed Tibi, and Basel Ghattas welcomed the initiative and offered some useful terms that can be used in politics to the course’s vocabulary.   

”This is an essential and significant requirement of elected officials – to have a good command of the second official language in the country, just as Arab MKs learn Hebrew. We are launching the project as a pilot, and additional MKs have already asked to join the course. The Knesset will be glad to expand this activity in accordance with the lawmakers’ needs,” Plot sad about the new expanded course.

Currently the course has among its participants a few MKs from Likud, the Zionist Camp, Kulanu, Yesh Atid, Jewish Home, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Yisrael Beytenu and Meretz.  

The course is being led by Muhammad Awida of the Berlitz language company. Mr. Awida holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arabic Literature which he received from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The course falls under the auspices of the Knesset’s Training and Continuing Education Department as well as the Human Resource Department.