Hardline Lieberman challenges Israeli army radio over Palestinian poet
Hardline Israeli Minister of Military Affairs Avigdor Lieberman has challenged the army radio station over a recent program it broadcast on a renowned Palestinian poet.
Tuesday’s radio program focused on late Palestinian poet and author Mahmoud Darwish as part of the broadcaster’s educational "university of the air" series.
Tzachi Moshe, Lieberman's spokesman, said on Wednesday that the head of the army radio station was called in to provide “clarifications” over the program.
Moshe quoted Lieberman as saying that it was "a grave matter" to include Darwish and his works in the radio program.
Lieberman was further cited as raising questions on the broadcast, which described Darwish as "someone who has written texts against Zionism.”
However, an army radio statement defended its program, noting that "academic freedom and openness give us an obligation to give listeners access to a wealth of ideas."
According to Israeli media reports, the Israeli minister would like to shut down the army radio station which he views as leaning too far to the left.
Darwish won numerous international awards for his literary output and was regarded as the Palestinian national poet.
Back in 2000, Israel’s education minister Yossi Sarid proposed adding Darwish to the school curriculum, but the initiative was overruled by then-premier Ehud Barak.
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