According to the Jerusalem Post back in April, a report by The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE) reported that Israel was either absent or only mentioned negative in the Palestinian Authority textbooks--Jews were demonized while martyrdom was praised and the Jewish Quarter was removed from Old City map and Hebrew erased from Mandate-era stamp.
IMPACT-SE reviewed well over 100 textbooks and teacher guides distributed by the PA Ministry of Education and Higher Education--books approved by the PA and used in Gaza as well:
While respect for the environment and sustainable energy resources are taught to Palestinian students, IMPACT-SE found that textbooks blame Israel for all environmental problems.That's all well and good when it comes to finding fault with the Arab school system--what about the Israel: are Palestinian Arabs demonized and mentioned negatively to the same degree?
“There is generally a total denial of the existence of Israel – and if there is an Israeli presence it is usually extremely negative,” said Eldad Pardo, an IMPACT-SE board member, and head of the organization’s Palestinian textbook research group. “For the next generation, there is no education at all about collaboration and no information about the many collaborations that already exist between Israelis and Palestinians in environmental and other areas.”
In geography textbooks, Israel usually does not appear in maps of the Middle East, instead “Palestine” is shown to encompass Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Jaffa is also shown on maps of Palestine, but Tel Aviv and other predominantly Jewish cities, such as Ramat Gan, kibbutzim and moshavim, are not displayed.
One of the Palestinian textbooks reviewed by IMPACT-SE, History of Ancient Civilization, published in 2009 and used to teach fifth-graders, states that the Levant consists of the states of Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Israel is not mentioned.
Other textbooks read for the study asked students to “color the Negev Desert on the map of Palestine,” and to solve the following mathematical word problem: “An independent Palestinian state was declared in 1988. How many years have passed since the declaration of independence?”
Another textbook included a map of the Old City of Jerusalem – which did not contain the Jewish Quarter. Meanwhile, in an additional example, a textbook printed a British Mandate postage stamp, but erased the Hebrew inscription “Palestine: The Land of Israel” that appeared on the original.
In addition, some textbooks described the Canaanites as an Arabic-speaking people whose land was stolen by Jews, and stated that Jews came from Europe to steal Palestine after the British conquered it in 1917.
Pardo, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, also said Palestinian textbooks have been erasing Jewish claims to holy sites, such as the Western Wall and Rachel’s Tomb. For example, National Education, a textbook for seventh-graders published in 2010, refers to the Western Wall as the “Al-Buraq Wall,” and to Rachel’s Tomb as “Al-Bilal Mosque.”
IMPACT-SE also found that Palestinian textbooks include many references to martyrdom, death, jihad and refugees returning to cities and towns in Israel – and frequently demonize Israelis and Jews. A photo from the funeral of a shahid (martyr) was included in the 2008 edition of a seventh-grade textbook, but excluded from the 2010 edition, perhaps because of foreign pressure on the PA, said Pardo.
Other textbooks told students that “the rank of shahid stands above all ranks,” and included a Muslim hadith about the destruction of Jews by Muslims on the day of the resurrection, which also appears in the Hamas charter.
IMPACT-SE noted many Palestinian textbooks included references to a ribat, an outpost on the borders of Muslim territories where wars against infidels occur. A 12th grade Islamic education textbook, published in 2010, tells students that “the people of the Levant in general, and in Palestine in particular,” are in a state of ribat until the day of resurrection.
Pardo said that while there are some positive developments in the Palestinian educational system, such as emphases on democratic values and respect for women, elders and authority – no Israeli is depicted as a friend or partner. Furthermore, the Oslo Accords are rarely mentioned, and political agreements in general are presented as resulting from Arab and Muslim weakness.
“A textbook is the result of a policy – something created by a committee and a formal product of an entity – and this policy is creating public opinion and the public mind of the coming generation,” said Shelley Shandor Elkayam, CEO of IMPACT-SE. “The whole Talmud is based on the Jewish philosophy that the other is more interesting than yourself. You have to care about what others say. The Tunisians accept this and they teach it to their students. The PA definitely should reach that point one day, and it is up to us to bring them to this realization.”
The Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) is claiming to have found Incitement and Racism in Israeli Media . Between between September 15 and 22, WAFA was able to dig up the following:
o Eitan Haber wrote an article published in ‘Yedioth Ahronoth’ newspaper, in which he said, “In 1967, we brought back 300 thousands settlers to Judea and Samaria (West bank) and Gaza. We proved to the world that we are the masters of this land and we own the world.”
“Things have changed,” he added, “The terrorists are now the world’s sweethearts! 190 countries chanted to Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazin) while we are consoling ourselves with the American Veto. What a stupid consolation!”
o Yedioth Ahronoth also published several statements by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman addressed to the Israeli government before heading to the United Nations, in which he called on to cancel the Oslo accords, annex settlements in Judea and Samaria to Israel and withhold the transfer of the Palestinian funds, if they establish a Palestinian state.
He said, “If Netanyahu doesn’t punish the Palestinians, the collation (sic) will be canceled.”
o ‘Hamodia’ religious newspaper published an article by M. Yzhaki in which he said, “The President of the terrorist Palestinian Liberation Organization, Abbas, is trying to follow the late PLO leader, Yassir Arafat’s route to establish a Palestinian state. Will he be the man to do it?”
o Ze’ev Jabotinsky [grandson of the famous Ze'ev Jabotinsky] wrote an article published in ‘Israel Today’, before Netanyahu’s speech to the UN General Assembly, in which he suggested the main prospect the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu must tackle in his speech. “I know what will Netanyahu say in his speech, but I suspect that he would do it efficiently!”
He added, “If he would take my advice, I would suggest that he must remind the world of our right in the land of Israel, which is based on the international law and the international community. Israel will not adopt any decisions that contradict with our right in full sovereign state.”
o Yaron Dekel, Israeli talk show host ‘Good Morning Israel’ instigated against Arab Knesset Member, Ahmad al-Tibi for joining Abbas on his private plane to New York, saying “Al-Tebie is enjoying dancing in both weddings; the Israeli Knesset and Palestinian delegation to UN and even if he said that it was a free meaningless trip, we will not accept his false claims easily.”
“If you (al-Tibi) decide to become a Palestinian minister, you are not welcomed in the Israeli Knesset, you can’t have both!” he said.
o ‘NFC’ website published an article by Nurit Greenger, in which she responded to the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Ma’an Erekat’s statements about the future Palestinian state which will be free of Jews, saying “what kind of hypocrisy is that? Arabs won’t let Jews live with them and yet Israel has to allow them live among us? Will the world allow Israel to transfer Israel into an Arab-free state?”
She said that these statements mean that the PLO adopts anti-Semitic and Nazi policy. She stated, “Every state that supports the Palestinian state is enforcing the Nazi ideology, and every state that doesn’t object the PLO’s policy, calls on the destruction of the Jewish state, Israel and the Jews.”
o ‘Makor Rishon’ religious newspaper published an article by Asaf Golan, in which he said that “Abbas has cut all possible political relations with the Israeli side.”
He said, “Abbas’ stubbornness reminds us of Palestinian Arab Nationalist, Haj Amin al-Husseini’s stubbornness, who preferred to drag the Arab countries into a war with Israel instead of accepting what we offered back in 1948.”
o ‘Ynet’ website published news responding to the Palestinian bid to UN, which said “hundreds of Settlers chanted ‘No for Murderers’ state” in a protest held in the West Bank.”
The news quoted an Israeli official, saying “our protest aims to remind everyone of who started the trouble. The Oslo accords brought terrorism and murder upon us.”
Another official said, “Jews scream at the world that Samaria is theirs;tThousands live there and they will not accept establishing a state on their land.”
o Dan Margalit, an Israeli journalist wrote an article published in ‘Israel Today’, in which he accused Abbas of opposing peace. “We can’t ignore the truth that Abbas opposes peace and supports terrorism. He encouraged Arafat to reject Camp David in 2000 when Ehud Barak, Former Israeli Prime Minister offered a solution to the Jerusalem issue. He fears peace!”
o Zev Cam, an Israeli journalist wrote an inciting article published on ‘NRG’ website opposing the Palestinian bid to UN, in which he said “establishing a Palestinian state in the backyard of Israel (West Bank) will change the current situation majorly; not necessarily in a negative way for Israel.” “Actually, establishing a Palestinian state means that the PA is not allowed speaking of the refugees’ rights. We will deal with the Palestinian terrorism in a different way and fight Palestinians through a legal war between two states; no one will object.”
Cam said, “We will cut funding for the so-called Palestinian state, including electricity, water, gas and infrastructure. The Palestinians will have to dig for water themselves.”
o ‘Haartz’, an Israeli newspaper published an article by Israeli journalist Ari Shavt, in which he criticized the failure of Netanyahu and Lieberman to advance toward the peace process.
He said, “Israel offered the Palestinians the land of 1967 in exchange of the 1948 and the right to exist instead of the right of return but the Palestinians refused.”
Shavt added, “The Palestinians are the only people who oppose peace.”
o Gabi Avital wrote an article published on ‘NFC’ website, in which he denied the existence of the Palestinians and their right to an independent state. “The Palestinian people are the biggest lie out there,” he said.
This is the best they could come up with.
One can only hope that WAFA will make printing up such demonizing of the Arabs a regular practice.
Hat tip: IMRA
Technorati Tag: Israel and Palestine.
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