Palestinian children are being taught that the conflict with Israel is a religious one and that recognition of the Jewish state is forbidden, guaranteeing a perpetuation of the violence despite peace efforts.
That was the grim assessment presented to the Knesset Education Committee on Tuesday by Itamar Marcus, director of the watchdog group Palestinian Media Watch.
Marcus was briefing the committee on his latest findings following a comprehensive review of a new 12th grade textbook issued by the Palestinian Authority last September.
Said Marcus, "According to these books, the war over this land is a war for Muslim land, and will end only with the resurrection of the dead." In addition, "recognition of Israel is forbidden by religion."
Committee chairman Michael Melchoir (Labor) said the findings make it clear the Palestinians do not view the conflict as merely being a land dispute that can "be resolved by partition," but rather as "an existential religious conflict that cannot be resolved."
Melchoir said he would demand that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert raise the issue when next he meets with PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas.
But other committee members pressed for a more immediate response.
The textbooks are "more dangerous than security violations in the long run," and necessitate "sanctions against the PA," said MK Ze'ev Elkin (Kadima).
The various peace agreements signed over the past decade obligate both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to educate their populations for peaceful coexistence with the other.
Marcus first publicized his findings in a joint press conference with US Senator Hillary Clinton in New York last month.
Clinton blasted the "deliberate poisoning of the minds of Palestinian children," and suggested that perhaps Abbas and his Fatah-controlled PLO are not true peace partners after all.
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.