Hebrew IME RTL text direction and character composition issues

Phenomenon

When composing Hebrew text with IME in a contenteditable element, RTL text direction may not be handled correctly, and Hebrew characters may not compose properly. Character joining and text direction can be problematic.

Reproduction example

1. Focus the editable area.
2. Set direction to RTL or use auto direction.
3. Activate Hebrew IME.
4. Type Hebrew text (e.g., “שלום”).
5. Observe RTL direction and character composition.

Observed behavior

• RTL text direction may not be handled correctly
• Hebrew characters may not compose properly
• Text may display left-to-right instead of right-to-left
• Caret movement may be incorrect in RTL context

Expected behavior

• RTL text direction should be handled correctly
• Hebrew characters should compose properly
• Text should display right-to-left correctly
• Caret should move correctly in RTL context

Browser Comparison

• Firefox: May have issues with Hebrew RTL and composition
• Chrome: Generally better RTL support
• Edge: Similar to Chrome
• Safari: Not applicable on Windows

Notes and possible direction for workarounds

• Ensure proper RTL direction is set (dir=“rtl”)
• Monitor for Hebrew text and set direction automatically
• Handle mixed-direction text carefully
• Use Unicode bidirectional algorithm (bidi) for complex cases