An Israeli lawmaker who chairs the Knesset Education Committee was filmed attempting to cut through the fence of an Arab school during class hours on Thursday, prompting condemnation from Palestinian political leaders and local officials.
Tzvi Succot, a member of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's extreme-right Religious Zionism party, was seen using a circular saw on the perimeter fence of a school in the northern town of Tuba Zangaria after local authorities blocked him from entering the premises.
His spokesperson later confirmed the attempt and said students were present at the time.
The incident occurred after local council head Mouaid Haib cancelled a planned visit by Succot, describing it as a "personal, political, racist visit" that served the lawmaker's interests rather than any educational purpose.
Speaking to The New Arab , Balad leader and former MK Sami Abu Shehadeh said the episode reflected broader trends within Israeli politics and argued that figures like Succot had become increasingly influential within the political mainstream.
"The problem is not Tzvi Succot. The problem is that Tzvi Succot is considered a legitimate political player within the Israeli political system," Abu Shehadeh said.
Succot attempted to justify his actions by saying he wanted to examine what was being taught at the school and claiming he had found evidence of "education for violence, crime, and bullying".
He added that authorities would seek to halt funding for schools that "educate for crime".
Abu Shehadeh rejected the allegation, saying he believed Succot was attempting to associate Palestinian education with high levels of organised crime in Palestinian communities inside Israel.
"Because he is racist, he is claiming that we are teaching violence and crime within our education system," Abu Shehadeh said.
The former Member of the Knesset argued that the incident was driven by political considerations rather than educational concerns.
"He knows that the Israeli society has deteriorated to be a very extreme right-wing fascist society, and any attack on Arabs and Palestinians raises the popularity of a politician in such a society," he said.
Abu Shehadeh suggested that politicians from the Israeli far right were competing to demonstrate increasingly hardline positions toward Palestinians ahead of future elections.
"In order to do better in the polls, unfortunately, we are going to see such violent and racist acts for the next few months in Israel for a politician to gain more power and more popularity," he said.
"He needs to convince the audience that he is more extreme and more fascist and more violent."
According to Haib, Succot had previously threatened to visit schools in Tuba Zangaria and had been informed in advance that the visit was cancelled. Haib said he locked the school gates with the support of parents and residents to prevent the lawmaker from entering.
"I will not let Tzvi Succot lead and exploit our schools for his extremist, racist ideology," Haib said, according to remarks reported by Haaretz .
Abu Shehadeh said the significance of the incident extended beyond Succot's conduct, pointing to his role as chair of the parliamentary committee responsible for education.
"You should know that in his background, he was considered one of the extreme young terrorist settlers of the Hilltop Youth," Abu Shehadeh said.
"And now he is the head of the education, culture and sports committee in the Knesset. This says everything, not just about Succot. This says everything about the Knesset and the situation that we are in."
Succot has previously drawn controversy over a number of actions, including his participation in protests in support of soldiers accused of raping Palestinians at the Sde Teiman military base in 2024 and his repeated incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and sites in the occupied West Bank
"We are not talking about a marginal extremist who could exist in any society in the world," Abu Shehadeh said.
"We are talking about a very important political figure who is considered part of the Israeli government, part of the Israeli governing coalition."