Veiled Muslim women are no tolerated inside the Israeli society

By Samer Khuwayera, IOL Correspondent

NABLUS, November 19 (IslamOnline.net) – An Israeli boarding school has kicked out a female student for embracing Islam and wearing hijab.

The students and teachers of the 'Zionist Youths' boarding school came to their classes to find their 15-year-old Jewish colleague wearing the Muslim headscarf in a sign that she has converted to Islam, according to the Israeli daily Maariv newspaper.

The school's headmaster tried in vain to dissuade the student from her decision and get her taking off hijab and decided to expel her.

The student, who requested anonymity, told the daily that she was offended by the headmaster's conversation, adding that she was ready to leave the school which she liked most.

"Religion, as far as I am concerned, is more important than school," she said.

"I took offence at the headmaster's remarks, not only for myself but for all Muslims. If a Jewish student in France, for instance, was expelled for wearing his kippa (Jewish scull cap), the action would be right away condemned as anti-Semitism," she added.

"I understand a student expelled for his/her misbehavior or being dull and inactive," she said, criticizing the school's decision as "racist that stirs up feelings of hatred".

She said she was born and brought up in the former Soviet republic Kazakhstan to a Jewish mother and a Christian father in an atmosphere that "respects Islam."

"As years went by, I have reached to the conclusion that Islamic values suit me fine," she said.

"I began to read about Islam four years ago and my teachers started noticing especially after I had worn a gold necklace bearing the name of Allah in Arabic," she said, adding that a few days later a copy of the Glorious Qur'an was found inside my room.

The Israeli ministry of education claimed that the girl was expelled for "her provocative practices and swearing at her colleagues".

The school's headmaster told Maariv paper that he asked the girl to refrain from her "provocative practices," noting that he did not mind her back to school and that he would discuss the matter in its entirety with her family.