Education Ministry official says students should be introduced to as many languages as possible. PA: Shame Hamas-Fatah row affecting education

A senior Hamas official in Gaza said the territory’s terrorist rulers intend to begin teaching Hebrew for high school students beginning next year.

Ziad Thabet, the Education Ministry undersecretary, said Monday the government is trying to find and train teachers. He says students should be introduced to as many languages as possible.

Hebrew, the chief language of Israelis, is now only offered as a university course.

Thabet says the Gaza government still needs to approve the decision, but it is likely to go ahead.

Many Palestinians see Hebrew as the language of the enemy. However, Hebrew used to be widely spoken in Gaza, particularly by those who worked in Israel before it started a decade ago to block laborers from entry amid escalating violence.

The proposal drew criticism from the Palestinian Education Ministry in Ramallah. Deputy Minister Muhammad Abu Zeid was quoted by the Ma´an news agency as saying that the Palestinian Authority has never considered teaching Hebrew in its curriculum.

"It is unacceptable that the disagreement (between Hamas and Fatah) reaches the educational curricula," he said, urging the Ministry of Education in Gaza to consult with the PA´s ministry in order to implement a standardized curriculum in the West Bank and Gaza.

"There shouldn´t be any opposition to teaching Hebrew, but the issue hasn’t been discussed yet," Abu Zeid added. (Copyright 2012 © Yedioth Internet 04/23/12)