FEATURE: Palestinian poets see their work fuel debate when used in Japan school exam

NEW YORK - During an entrance exam for a top middle school in Japan in January, students were asked to read two poems depicting life in Palestine and write responses to key passages.

Controversy soon followed on Japanese social media over use of the material related to war and displacement. Some criticized the test section as politically one-sided for lacking Israeli views, while others praised the school for choosing a subject that, despite its complexities, has galvanized the world after much devastation in the Gaza Strip.