Incitement
in the Palestinian Education System
“..to ensure that their respective
educational systems contribute to the peace between
the Israeli and Palestinian peoples and to peace in
the entire region”
Oslo II, article XXII(1), (2).
“How are we going to liberate
our stolen land? Write a composition making use of
the following ideas: Arab unity, genuine faith in
Allah, most modern weapons and ammunition, using oil
and other precious natural resources as weapons in
the battle for liberation.”
Our Arabic Language, School text
for Seventh Grade
Introduction
U.S. President Bill Clinton, in
a speech in late 1998, referred to “education
for peace” as “the most important element”
to make peace sustainable.[1] We all recognize that
in order to reach the state of true peace that we
are all looking for, it has to start with changing
attitudes. And changing attitudes has to take place
with our children.
Many of the activities of the Palestinian
Authority are supported by international aid, much
of which comes from the United States, and supervised
by the World Bank. From 1995-1998, a total of $299
million for peaceful education was donated. Much of
this money resulted in the PA’s publishing of
false and hate-filled material towards Israel and
Jews.
Quotes from School Textbooks
Palestinian Authority school texts actively portray
the Jew as the evil force in their world. Historical
events are misrepresented to portray Israel and Jews
the enemy of Islam and the Arabs. PA refused to let
school books be checked, and they are currently in
use. The following are quotations from school texts
currently used by Palestinians to educate their children:
“There is no alternative to
destroying Jerusalem.”
Banner on title page of Volume I, “Our Country
Palestine”
“Dedicated to those who are
battling for the expulsion of the enemy from our land”
Our Arabic Language, textbook for Fifth Grade
“.there will be a Jihad and
our country shall be freed. This is our story with
the thieving conquerors. You must know, my boy, that
Palestine is your grave responsibility.”
Our Arabic Language, textbook for
Fifth Grade
“ The honorable soul has two objectives: Achieving
death and honor”
Abd al-Rahim Mahmud's "Song of the Martyr",
Sixth Grade
“The Martyr rejoices
in the paradise that Allah has prepared for him.”
Islamic Education for Seventh Grade
“The Jews claim that this is one of the places
belonging to them and call it "The Western Wall",
but this is not so.”
Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth
Grade
“Racism: Mankind has suffered from this evil
both in ancient as well as in modern times, for, indeed,
Satan has, in the eyes of many people, made their
evil actions appear beautiful. Such a people are the
Jews”
Islamic Education for Eighth Grade
“Martyred Jihad fighters are
the most honored people, after the Prophets”
Reading And Literary Texts for Tenth Grade
“No Apologies for Curriculum”
The endemic problem of the PA’s
use of textbooks that incite to violence prompted
the inclusion of a separate article in the Wye Agreement,
signed by Arafat in 1998.[2] Section II, A(3) b, captioned
"Preventing Incitement," states:
“A US-Palestinian-Israeli
committee will meet on a regular basis to monitor
cases of possible incitement to violence or terror
and to make recommendations and reports on how to
prevent such incitement. The Israeli-Palestinian and
U.S. sides will each appoint a media specialist, a
law enforcement representative, an educational specialist,
and a current or former elected official to the committee.”[3]
Although the trilateral committee
did meet, the Palestinian appointees resisted efforts
to edit their textbooks. An editorial in the English
language Palestinian newspaper Jerusalem Times, entitled
"No Apologies for the Curriculum," proclaimed
"[t]he children should know their history well,
whether or not it pleases the world," and continued
defiantly, "[w]e should not care if our curriculum
does not please Israel."[4] In the newspaper
Al-Quds, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council
denigrated the anti-incitement provisions of the Wye
Agreement as “the most dangerous as it touches
on the national ideology and national consciousness.”[5]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[1] See Center for Monitoring the
Impact of Peace, "CMIP Launched in Congress,"
CMIP Newsletter, no.1, Sept. 1998.
[2] Wye River Memorandum; see Justus
Reid Weiner, "Wye River Memorandum: A Transition
to Final Peace," Hastings International and Comparative
Law Review, (forthcoming).
[3] Wye River Memorandum, Section
II, A(3).
[4] Editorial, "No Apologies
for Curriculum," Jerusalem Times.
[5] Center for Monitoring the Impact
of Peace, CMIP Newsletter.
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