European Parliament Condemns Palestinian Authority Textbooks

The European Parliament adopted three resolutions condemning the Palestinian Authority (PA) for continuing to teach hate and violence in its school textbooks. The parliament called for an end to European Union aid to the PA to produce textbooks. The legislation also calls on the European Commission to ensure that EU funding of teacher salaries and civil servants are used to teach curricula that reflect UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, coexistence, and non-violence.

German MEP Niclas Herbst said “EU funds should be spent on peace and mutual understanding. Paying teachers to teach anti-Semitism and incitement to violence through Palestinian schoolbooks should never be subsidized by EU money. The result of votes today is a strong signal on this regard.”

Several other members expressed similar sentiments, including Swedish MEP Charlie Weimer who said that “terrorism, extremism and hate can never be the answer and should under no circumstances ever be funded by EU taxpayers.” He added: “I fully welcome that the European Parliament voted in favor of keeping the strong language stating that incitement and support for terrorism in Palestinian schoolbooks is unacceptable. Peace needs to be promoted in the Palestinian curricula as to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Meanwhile, according to Marcus Sheff, CEO of the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se), the European Commission has classified its report on the Palestinian curriculum. “Classifying the report is senseless and frankly, seems highly suspicious,” he said.

Source: Yossi Lempkowicz, “The European Parliament passes resolutions condemning Palestinian failure to stop hate in school textbooks and oppose EU aid to the PA,” European Jewish Press, (May 14, 2020).