Lod schools to strike after attack on principal

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
All schools in Lod will stop studies for two hours on Wednesday toexpress solidarity with a high school principal whose home was thetarget of a Molotov cocktail attack on Tuesday morning.
Shirin Halfi, principal of an Arab high school in the city, told IsraelRadio she did not know why she was being targeted for attack, but vowedthat she would not be intimidated and would continue to work as normal.She praised a decision by Lod Mayor Ilan Harari to call a strike,adding that violence affected all residents of the city, Jewish andArab.
“Today it’s me, tomorrow it will be another principal,” Halfi said. Thestrike is being supported by parent committees and the local council,Israel Radio said.
The firebombing of Halfi’s home came days after the tires of her vehicle were punctured. No suspects have yet been arrested.
Pupils and teachers announced plans to demonstrate against the attacksoutside of the Public Security Ministry in Jerusalem on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the National Teachers Union announced on Tuesday that allteachers would set aside an hour on Wednesday to discuss growing youthviolence in schools, following a brutal attack on a school teacher by astudent last week at a Be’er Tuvia High School, Maarivreported on Tuesday. According to the teacher, a fifth-grade studentpounced on her, kicked her, and tried to bite her, while his friendsgathered around shouting “death to the teacher,” after she tried tobreak up a fight last week.