Tens of Israeli-Arab dentists (who work in Israel) took part in an international convention for dentists in Colombia. Their expenses were paid for by the Israeli-Arab Dentists Association – an organization with thousands of dentists throughout Israel reports Channel 20.
Towards the end of the summit, when each representative heard their national anthem, the Israeli-Arab dentists refused to have the Israeli national anthem (Hatikvah) played and instead, demanded the ‘Palestinian’ national anthem written by Ibrahim Touqan.
The Organization’s chairman, Dr. Fachri Hasan, who is also a top dentist at the Clalit HMO, told Channel 20 that: “We were stuck in a situation whereby the Colombians were singing their national anthem. So we have our national anthem.”
After suggesting that their anthem was the Hatikvah, Dr. Hasan corrected the interviewer saying: “No, we do not identify with the Hatikvah. That song has nothing to do with us, and if you expect that Israeli Arabs will stand and sing the Hatikvah, then you are delusional.” Hassam added that “We won’t identify with the Hatikvah. It has nothing to do with us just like the Israeli flag has nothing to do with us.”
Israel’s health ministry condemned the incident but noted that the organization doesn’t receive any public funds.
The entire text of the ‘Palestinian’ national anthem is as follows:
- My homeland, My homeland
- Majesty and beauty, sublimity and splendor,
- Are in your hills, are in your hills,
- Life and deliverance, pleasure and hope
- Are in your air, are in your air
- When will I see you? When will I see you?
- Secure and prosperous
- Victorious and honored
- Will I see you in your eminence
- Reaching the stars, reaching the stars?
- My homeland, my homeland
- My homeland, my homeland
- Our youth will not tire, until your independence
- Or they will die, or they will die
- We will drink from death and never be to our enemies
- Like slaves, like slaves
- We do not want, we do not want
- An eternal humiliation nor a miserable life,
- An eternal humiliation nor a miserable life,
- We do not want, but we will bring back
- Our great glory, our great glory
- My homeland, my homeland
- My homeland, My homeland
- The sword and the pen not talk nor quarrel
- Are our symbols, are our symbols
- Our glory and our covenant and a duty to be faithful
- Arouse us, arouse us
- Our glory, Our glory
- Is an honorable cause and a waving banner
- Is an honorable cause and a waving banner
- O, behold you in your eminence
- Victorious over your enemies
- My homeland, My homeland
Below is the video of Channel 20’s report (in Hebrew):
