Eight years ago, teacher Adam Verta and his student Sapir Sabah made headlines for the first time – following an event that led to a major public outcry in the country. Sabah, then a twelfth-grade student, sent a letter of complaint against Verta to the education minister, claiming he was voicing extreme leftist views, condemning the military, in the classroom. Following the complaint and public outcry – Verta was fired. Inspired by the same storm – they agreed to meet for the first time since that event for a conversation with Geula Even Saar.
Sabah said of the lesson from which it all began: “It was very important to him to voice his political views – that we have an occupying army, which kills innocent people. He said he did not serve in the IDF because he does not believe in this body.” Verta added the angle. Shalev: “I remember at a certain class I said that when the IDF commits crimes for the war – I am ashamed that it is our army.”
When asked if he would like his sons to serve in the IDF, he replied that there were certain actions he did not want them to do: “If I think about the activity that snipers did in Gaza, I would be very happy if my child did not do such an activity. Even if you fight a war of justice and kill someone – it hurts you. I would not want my child to perform a task that is to take the life of someone who is in his sights. “When asked if he thinks the same even if they are terrorists – he said yes.
Following the incident, Sabah became a star among prominent right-wing personalities such as Michael Ben-Ari and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who even held a conference in her honor. She says for her part, that she did not seek to be published: “If people knew what offers I received at the time I refused them. People do not understand what it took from me, most of the students were against me.”
Sabah said she still believes what she said at the time, when she was quoted as saying for example that “leftists are a curse”: “I still think so”. To me a person who holds leftist views, it is sad that he holds such views. I have a hatred for people who live here and want to take over the country for me. I hate people who live here and go out and carry out terrorist attacks. “When asked if she hates leftists, she replied in the affirmative.
“From that moment on, the violent talk of ‘traitor’ and ‘he went to Gaza’ began,” Verta said of the days after the affair exploded. “When you suddenly become the object on which all this talk is sitting – it’s very difficult. I think she made a mistake.” Sapir, for her part, has no regrets: “If you are going through such a difficult time, think with yourself and say – it may not be appropriate for me to talk to students about such topics. I’m not sorry I did that, it took a big toll on me too.”