Current Events — HabitableZone

Current Events

An Israeli perspective on some of the difficulties ahead for peace. Very saddening

And if you consider that in one more generation non-jews will demographically dominate Israel, the situation becomes more ominous.
"PALESTINIAN PROPAGANDA PROPAGATION

"'Bayonets and Torches'
…In your left hand you carried the Koran,
And in your right an Arab sword…
Without blood not even one centimeter will be liberated
Therefore, go forward crying: 'Allah is great.'"
[Reader and Literary Texts for Eighth Grade #578, p.
131-133]

The Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace (CMIP) has
recently completed an updated report on the textbooks
used in the Palestinian schools. In 2000, CMIP produced
several reports revealing a great amount of anti-Israel
propaganda in the textbooks used to educate Palestinian
school children. The Palestinian National Authority
argued that the Jordanian and Egyptian Ministries of
Education published the texts, and so the PNA was not
responsible for content. Since early 2000, the PNA has
published 58 new textbooks for grades 1, 2, 6, 7 and 11.
The Egyptian and Jordanian texts are still used in the
other grades.

Concerned with the promotion of peace, CMIP specifically
considered whether the new textbooks promote the peace
process and whether they create a positive image of other
peoples and communities. The report assesses these
issues as well as whether the data, illustrations, and
maps given are accurate and complete and whether equal
standards are applied and political disputes are
presented objectively.

While an improvement on the Egyptian and Jordanian texts,
the new Palestinian textbooks still present Israel and
Jews in a negative light, and do little or nothing to
promote reconciliation and peace. Material is often
presented with an anti-Israel slant, which can be readily
seen in maps that label both Palestinian and Israeli
lands "Palestine". While Christian and Muslim
holy sites are mentioned, Jewish holy sites are not -
unless presented as Muslim holy places usurped by the
Jews. Israel is accused of being responsible for social
and ecological ills, including the status of women within
the Palestinian-run territories. The blame for wars and
tragedies are placed solely on Israel, without mention of
Palestinian responsibilities for the variety of problems
in the land.

There has never been a historical state of Palestine.
The area has been ruled by many different nations since
Rome - the most recent being the Ottoman Empire and Great
Britain. Yet, the textbooks constantly refer to the
State of Palestine, with its capital at Jerusalem. The
books also put a negative light on the history involved
in the formation of the State of Israel, and disparage
the right of Israel to exist:

"I will connect the state in the first column with
its capital in the second column:
Palestine…………………….Jerusalem" (Islamic Education,
Grade 2, pt. 1, p. 99)

"The Zionist colonial greedy ambitions in Palestine
began in the year 1882. These greedy ambitions increased
after the convention of the first Zionist congress in the
city of Basel in Switzerland in the year 1897, as this
congress, headed by Theodor Herzl, encouraged immigration
to Palestine… The Zionist greedy ambitions increased
[further] with the support of British imperialism, as the
foreign minister of Britain, Lord Balfour, issued his
declaration on November 2, 1917, which called for
granting the Jews a national home in Palestine."
(National Education, Grade 7, p. 20)

"The Balfour Declaration fits the saying 'the one who
does not own gave to the one who does not deserve.'
Comment on this saying." (National Education, Grade
7, p. 22)

The textbooks do encourage tolerance of other religions,
including Christianity. However, the examples shown
never include Jews. At the same time, students are asked
to comment on textbook drawings that show olive trees
bulldozed by Israelis. They are taught to look forward to
the eventual 'liberation of Palestine'. Jihad and
martyrdom are glorified and known terrorists venerated as
martyrs:

"Jihad comes first after worship." (Our Beautiful
Language, Grade 6, pt. 1, p. 20)

"Let us write down the biography of some of the
martyrs of Palestine, who sacrificed their lives for the
sake of their homeland, and put that in the class's wall
magazine." (National Education, Grade 7, p. 23)

"Commander Khalil al-Wazir (Abu Jihad) fell as a
martyr while fighting against the [Israeli]
occupation." (National Education, Grade 6 (2000), p.
18)

(Khalil al-Wazir, alias Abu Jihad, was a senior commander
of the Fatah terrorist organization and was responsible
for a number of attacks against Israeli civilians. He was
killed in Tunis in April 1988.)

While national leaders and diplomats make efforts to
resume the peace process, Israel is split from the inside
out. Plans are being made to declare a Palestinian
state, even while Arab T.V. shows depict Ariel Sharon
drinking the blood of Palestinian children. The next
generation of Arab children is being taught to resent any
Jewish presence in the Holy Land and to gladly anticipate
fighting in the effort to 'free' Palestine from an
occupying enemy who has no right to be there. Under such
circumstances, true peace will continue to prove elusive.

From: http://www.khouse.org

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