Is Israel an Apartheid State?

Goals:

• Affective –  Students proudly identify as Zionists despite accusations made against Israel, while at the same time acknowledging the complexity inherent in the conflict.
• Behavioral – Students are able to unpack the accusation that Israel is an apartheid state.
• Cognitive – Students understand the historical context of Israel’s security control of the West Bank.

Essential Questions

1. What is the meaning of the term apartheid?
2. Why does Israel maintain security control over Palestinians in the West Bank? What is life like for Palestinians in the West Bank?
3. Why is using the term apartheid to describe Israel harmful?

Big Ideas

1. The term apartheid refers to a system of racial segregation which does not accurately describe the reality in Israel.
2. Israel maintains military control over Palestinians in the West Bank for security reasons.
3. The appropriation of the term apartheid for use in this context is harmful.