Iraqi professor asks Israel for shipment of Hebrew books

The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that an Iraqi college professor has
asked it for a shipment of Hebrew books.

Ofir Gendelman of the ministry's Arab press section says the professor sent an e-mail three weeks ago via the ministry's Arabic-language Web site.

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The professor said he planned to teach Hebrew and requested Hebrew literature and books about Israel.

Gendelman said the ministry would be happy to oblige and is awaiting the
professor's mailing address. He refused to divulge the professor's identity or that of his college because of concerns for his safety.

"There is tremendous ignorance in the Arab world about what Israel is, and they simply want to know more," Gendelman said Wednesday.

Sadiq Abdul-Matalib deputy dean of the college of languages at Baghdad University said that it has a flourishing Hebrew department with about 150 students.