In a new racist move the Israeli authorities in Beershebacity have decided to immediately silence the public address system inArabic language on the city’s buses.
At the behest of Beersheba mayor Ruvik Danilovich theIsraeli ministry of transportation instructed the Dan Bus Company to removeArabic voice announcements aboard its public buses.
Danilovich justified his racist step by saying that heresponded to local Jewish-Israeli residents who lodged complaints to thecompany and the Beersheba’s city hall over announcing bus stops in Arabicbesides Hebrew.
Speaking to an Israeli channel the mayor claimed furtherthat Arabic would be included on Beersheba buses once “it is implementedin all of Israel.”
This measure has been deplored by Arab citizens of Israel asracist and part of the incitement campaign that was launched by the governmentof Benjamin Netanyahu against Arab citizens during the recent wildfires thathit the country.
Beersheba is a 200000-person city in the country’s southernNegev region.
Many of the passengers on Beersheba buses and trains are Arabresidents of the city and its environs and the public address system in Arabicis designed to serve them.
Arabic is an officially recognized language in Israel. Bylaw government ministries have to issue all official announcements advertisements andofficial forms in both Hebrew and Arabic and people are entitled to addresslocal authorities and government bodies in Hebrew or Arabic.
