Apr. 7, 2016
Teaching Palestinians to Hate – Ariel Bolstein (Israel Hayom)
- The world is quick to blame Israel for all the problems in the region, whereas the Palestinians are commonly met with forgiveness and understanding. It is therefore encouraging to learn that the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin, a German think tank, is focusing a spotlight on the Palestinian Authority educational system. Recently published research that deals with PA textbooks reveals messages of burning hatred, with condescending and degrading language about Jews.
- No place where Jews live is described as a city, village or community. These places are only depicted as Arab villages and towns. Both Tel Aviv and kibbutzim are universally referred to as “settlements.” The word “Israel” is replaced with terms like “the occupation regime,” or “the Zionist terrorist organization.” Israel simply does not appear on maps in the PA’s geography textbooks.
- In no Palestinian textbook will one find any call for peace, tolerance or mutual understanding, while calls to fight and carry out violent attacks against Israelis appear frequently. Those who perpetrate such attacks are glorified and praised profusely.
- These textbooks promote and entrench hatred against Jews and Israelis, and contribute to legitimizing violence as a means to resolving the diplomatic conflict. Anyone who dreams of peace in the Middle East must first root out this incitement from the education system.
- Since PA schools are largely funded by European donations, responsibility for teaching this hate and its consequences falls on European leaders.
(Click on the article’s title to see the whole article…Ed.)