Look at the twisted, outrageous mechanism working here under all our radars—this time under the sanitized slogans of “affirmative action” in medical education. And this has nothing to do with racism. On the contrary. When you create “affirmative action” based on sectoral identity, you’re actually dripping with condescending, discriminatory thinking—as if the Arab public can’t get accepted on its own merits, on the strength of its skills and brains, and needs the bar lowered. That’s pure condescension that perpetuates gaps instead of eliminating them.
But guess who pays the real price, day in and day out, in pocket and in spirit? Young Jews. Why? Because this preferential policy creates a reality where a Jewish student who busted his ass, served in the army or in an academic reserve program, and aced the psychometric exam finds himself shut out. Suddenly, sectoral preference slams the doors of Israeli universities in his face. And what’s the result? He’s forced to pack a suitcase, say goodbye to his family, fly abroad, and pay tens or hundreds of thousands of shekels to educational institutions in Europe.
Meanwhile, the Arab student enjoys preferential treatment, gets accepted here at home, and studies under subsidized conditions at the taxpayer’s expense. Why should a Jewish citizen who served his country be sent into academic exile and pay a fortune? Because he doesn’t have the right sector on his ID card.
Where’s the justice in the fact that precisely those who contribute the most get pushed out, only to return years later after bleeding themselves dry abroad? In the twisted minds of our justice system, as usual—who’s telling them that medicine isn’t some imaginary equal opportunity campaign, and that medicine isn’t a place for political quotas?
In medicine, there should be only one criterion: excellence, knowledge, and ability. It’s time to stop this sectoral condescension, stop discriminating against Jews in their own home, and restore meritocracy and simple justice to the higher education system. Meanwhile, this affirmative action is corrupting. Big time.