Guest on PA TV falsely claims Israel appropriated Jerusalem art academy from Palestinians in order to "deepen its its roots in the land of Palestine"
Official PA TV program Culture Talks, with artist and art historian Issam Helles
Artist and art historian Issam Helles: “Israel understood how it could deepen its roots in the land of Palestine. It sent many Jews to study the Palestinian folk arts from Palestinians who worked next to tourist sites in Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Church of the Nativity [in Bethlehem], until the Jews learned the craft. For example, you know that there was a building that was called the Salem Building in Jerusalem, where all of the folk arts were gathered in Jerusalem. Israel understood the importance of the work that was being done there and took control of this building, and afterwards it received the Jewish name Bezalel, which today is known as a university for arts and is known in Israel, that is to say in the Hebrew state, by the name Bezalel University (sic., the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem).”
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem was first established in 1906. There is no evidence of a “Salem Building” having existed on the property that was purchased by the school.
Artist and art historian Issam Helles: “Israel understood how it could deepen its roots in the land of Palestine. It sent many Jews to study the Palestinian folk arts from Palestinians who worked next to tourist sites in Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Church of the Nativity [in Bethlehem], until the Jews learned the craft. For example, you know that there was a building that was called the Salem Building in Jerusalem, where all of the folk arts were gathered in Jerusalem. Israel understood the importance of the work that was being done there and took control of this building, and afterwards it received the Jewish name Bezalel, which today is known as a university for arts and is known in Israel, that is to say in the Hebrew state, by the name Bezalel University (sic., the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem).”
The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem was first established in 1906. There is no evidence of a “Salem Building” having existed on the property that was purchased by the school.