Hamas won't officially recognize Israel's existence, but that doesn't mean they are ignoring them.
The group, which the U.S. recognizes as a foreign terrorist organization, has integrated Hebrew into their high school language classes, making the skill a unique front in the volatile Gaza Strip, according to The Daily Star.
The language is taught to ninth-grade students, but will soon be taught in higher grades.
“The Arabic language is a basic thing for the Israelis, and they use it to achieve what they want,” said Mahmoud Matar, director general of the Hamas-run Ministry of Education, speaking to the New York Times. “We look at Israel as an enemy. We teach our students the language of the enemy.”
The additional curriculum is a step in matching Israeli security forces, which have many intelligence officers with a strong grasp of Arabic. This helps them interrogate Palestinian detainees.
Soumaya al-Nakhala, a senior Hamas education ministry official, says knowing one's enemy is consistent with the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.
"[The students] want to learn the language of their enemy so they can avoid their tricks and evil," al-Nakhala said.
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