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Israel.....

? Full Report (PDF, 136 pages)

? Update 2002 (PDF, 56 pages)

Three fundamental statements can be made about all the school books:

1. The legitimacy of the State of Israel as independent Jewish state on

the

territory of the Land of Israel and the immigration of Jews to the country
are never questioned.
2. There is no indoctrination against the Arabs as a nation, nor a

negative

presentation of Islam. Rather, Islam, the Arab culture and the Arabs'
contribution to human civilization are presented in a positive light.
3. No book calls for violence or war. Many books express the yearning for
peace between Israel and the Arab countries.

However, there is no unanimity between the authors with regard to the
factors, motives of both sides and the development of events in the
conflict, or regarding the ways for ending it and the price Israel and the
Arabs should pay for peace. This reflects the fact that Israeli society
comprises a broad spectrum of conceptions, views and lifestyles.

Islam is described with respect in both the general the religious

state-run

educational streams. Many books elaborate in detail how Muhammad

established

Islam and explain its basic fundamentals in a factual, objective manner.
Many books highlight positive aspects in Islam. The language is factual

and

devoid of offensive terms and stereotypes. Sites holy to both Jews and
Muslims are not presented as exclusively Jewish and the Arabs' attachment

to

these sites is taught. The students are even taught about the Muslims
affinity to Jerusalem, although, the focus is on the religious, rather

than

the political dimension. In the ultra-orthodox stream examples of

prejudice,

patronizing expressions and disrespect to Arabs can be found.

Stereotypes: In textbooks of both the general state-run network and the
religious state-run network, one senses a genuine effort to remove
stereotypes and to build a foundation for coexistence and mutual respect
between the two peoples. There are many stories that describe friendships
between Jews and Arabs in Islamic countries and in Israel even in times of
war. There are stories of Jews helping Arabs in daily life and in war as
well as stories of Arabs rescuing Jews from physical harm and helping Jews
to maintain their religion and identity.

In many literary anthologies there are stories about the daily life of

Arabs

written by Arab authors. Some stories deal with the tensions created by

the

transition from a traditional society with its values and customs, to a
modern western society. However, in some books in the ultra-orthodox

network

relations between Arabs and Jews are portrayed in negative terms.

History of the Arab Israeli Conflict: All the history books explain that

the

two main issues which prompted Arab rejection of Zionism were the purchase
of land by Jews and the immigration (Aliyah) of Jews to Palestine, later

the

State of Israel, which was perceived by them as a threat to their position
as the majority. This opposition started as local clashes, gradually
becoming an organized struggle led by national leaders. In most of the

books

the conflict is described as a national one.

Many history textbooks describe contacts and meetings between Jewish and
Arab leaders from the beginning of the conflict, breaking the stereotype

of

an Arab world united in their opposition to the Zionism. Failure of these
contacts is attributed to the Arabs. Only a few books provide the student
with data on the Arab population from the beginning of Jewish immigration

to

Palestine in the late nineteenth century, until the establishment of the
State of Israel in 1948. Complete statistics on the Arab population are
provided partially and sporadically when clashes or disturbances are
described, leaving the pupil with a distorted impression of the Jews

having

been the majority since the beginning of their settlement.

There is a large variety of maps. Some maps describe accurately the
distribution of Arab population in Palestine in different periods. Other
maps, mostly in the ultra-orthodox network, illustrate Israel without
mentioning the existence of Arabs, country. Some books make a distinction
between the State of Israel and the territories of Judea and Samaria

because

the final status of these territories is not yet decided. Other books

ignore

this distinction, and show only the border between Israel and Jordan along
the Jordan River. The most widely used atlas in the state run and

religious

state run schools features a map of the territories of the Palestinian
Authority, specifying areas A and B according peace accords between Israel
and the Palestinians.

All of the books present the Arabs as rejecting the United Nations
Resolution of November 1947 partitioning the land between two states ?
Jewish and Arab. The Arab-Israeli wars appear in most of the books as
justified wars of defense, from Israel's perspective. The Arabs are
presented as responsible for the outbreak of all the wars.

In a few books, the hatred of the Arabs towards the Jews is presented as
stemming from a fundamental difference, an inherent hatred that is
independent of political, military or economic circumstance. However, most
of the books explain the hostility of the Arabs as stemming from national
and pragmatic reasons: their claim to having exclusive ownership of the
whole territory and desire to remain a majority.

Some books in the general state and state religious systems quote speeches
on peace by Arab and Israeli leaders at the signing of the peace

agreements

with Egypt and Jordan. Most of the literary anthologies present poems and
stories that express a yearning for peace. However, it is a peace that is
perceived as unattainable, a dream, and a utopia. The books express a wide
range of opinions as to details of the history and motives of the sides in
the conflict. A range of opinions is also presented for resolving the
conflict and the compromises Israel and the Arabs should make for peace.
http://www.operationsick.com/doc210.php

Palestinian........

Read the full reports:
? 2005 Report (95 pages, PDF)
? 2004 Report (95 pages, PDF)
? 2003 Report (62 pages, PDF)
? 2002 Report (24 pages, PDF)
? 2001 Report (58 pages, PDF)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF 2005 REPORT
This is the fifth in a series of surveys by the Center for Monitoring the
Impact of Peace (CMIP) on the new school textbooks published by the
Palestinian Authority (PA) as part of the general project that began in

2000

to replace all the textbooks that were then in use in the PA schools. The
present report covers the latest issue of 30 textbooks that were published
by the PA Ministry of Education in 2004 for grades 5 and 10. CMIP has

again

adopted the same method followed in its earlier reports and applied the

same

criteria (see in the Introduction). The findings are as follows:

-- Though Christianity and Judaism are presented as Heavenly religions

like

Islam, very little is taught about them in the textbooks (except, of

course,

about Christianity in Christian Education textbooks that are intended for
Christian students in the Palestinian school system). Also, Islam and the
Muslims are portrayed as superior to all other religions and their
respective followers. For example, the Qur'an alone is safeguarded by God
against loss and distortion, unlike sacred books of other religions, and
Jews and Christians - unlike Muslims - are not part of "Abraham's nation".

-- The Jews are hardly mentioned in historical contexts either in

antiquity

or in modern times (except in a special section on Zionism). Their strong
historical ties to Palestine are virtually ignored - even in Christian
Education textbooks that speak of Old and New Testament events. At the

same

time, the Canaanites, and all other ancient nations in the region, are
presented as Arab nations, the forebears of the Arabs, including the
Palestinians, of today.

-- Although a seemingly objective quotation from the late Zionist and
Israeli leader David Ben Gurion is given and an attempt is made to present
Zionism's history objectively, Zionism is depicted as a racist movement

with

a strong connection to Western Imperialism. Moreover, the infamous
"Protocols of the Elders of Zion" are treated as a historical document,

said

to constitute an integral part of Zionism, and described as the

confidential

resolutions of the first Zionist congress.

-- As in earlier school books published by the PA, there is no recognition
of any Jewish holy place as such.

-- Similarly, Israel is not recognized as a sovereign state. Its name does
not appear on any of the maps where, in some cases, the name "Palestine"
appears instead. There is one sentence in which the phrase "the State of
Israel" appears within quotation marks. Israel's pre-1967 territory is

never

mentioned as such and phrases like "the 1948 areas" are used instead.

There

are cases in which Palestine replaces Israel as the sovereign state in the
region. Regions, sites and cities within pre-1967 Israel are described as
Palestinian and once or twice the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are
implicitly described as part of a larger Palestine. On the other hand,

there

is a sole reference to Israel as a sovereign state in an official document
issued by Christian religious leaders, which is quoted in a Christian
Education textbook.

-- Israel's image is wholly negative: It has been an occupying entity

since

1948, exclusively responsible for the Palestinian Catastrophe of that year
and the source of violence. Israel shells schools, arrests and tortures
people, demolishes Palestinian houses, blocks roads, oppresses the
Palestinians - including by means of the "racist annexation and separation
wall", steals Palestinian land and water, strives to destroy Muslim and
Christian holy places, tries to impoverish the Palestinians and destroy
their agriculture and economy, maltreats its own Palestinian citizens,

etc.

On the other hand there is one piece of literature that presents a dead
enemy soldier as a human being.

-- The presentation of the conflict is biased. Israel is made exclusively
responsible for the 1948 war and the ensuing refugee problem, and there is
no mention of any Arab responsibility, even though it was the Arab side

who

started that war in defiance of the UN Partition Resolution of 1947 which

it

rejected. A new line of argument appears in this latest issue of

textbooks:

the religious importance of Palestine to Muslims and Christians is given a
political meaning within the conflict. The viewpoint of the opponent is

not

presented in any way.

-- As regards the 1948 refugee problem - besides Israel's exclusive
responsibility for its creation, the textbooks emphasize the refugees'
miserable living conditions in camps and their determination to return to
their former homes within today's Israel.

-- The struggle for liberation, though referred to less in these latest
textbooks, still exists. But, unlike the earlier textbooks, areas and

sites

within pre-1967 Israel are not mentioned in this context (though it should
be remembered that, according to the textbooks, Israeli occupation began

in

1948 not in 1967, and Israeli sites and cities are regarded as

Palestinian).

-- The city of Jerusalem is portrayed as exclusively Arab. Nothing is said
about the strong connection of the Jews to the city historically and at
present, both religiously and nationally. The facts that the Jews

constitute

the absolute majority in the city today, and have done so for some 120
years, and that it serves as Israel's capital are ignored. Jewish holy
places there are not mentioned as such. Rather, it is said that Jerusalem

is

facing Israeli attempts at Judaization.

-- Tolerance is an ideal taught in the PA schools, mainly from an Islamic
perspective. The present conflict and the Jews, however, are not mentioned
within that context, save for a brief sentence in a Christian Education
textbook that implies tolerance toward Israelis. Furthermore, in what is
presented as one of the outstanding examples of Islamic tolerance, namely,
that shown to the Christians of Jerusalem after its capture by Umar bin
al-Khattab, it is just the Jews who do not benefit from it.

-- Peace with Israel is never mentioned, let alone encouraged. Indeed

there

is at least one text that holds out the hope of final victory and the
disappearance of the Israelis as such from the region. The Oslo Accord of
1993 is now presented as part of the violent struggle against Israel and
inserted between the two Intifadhas of 1987 and 2000.

-- Instead, there are several favorable references to war and power,
enhanced by the glorification of Jihad and martyrdom.

-- As before, terror against Israel is not mentioned. But there are

positive

references to "martyrs" and "prisoners-of-war" within the context of the
struggle against Israel.

-- This latest issue of textbooks includes much more objective information
about Western history and civilization than before, but, at times, also
features a biased attitude, especially in the context of Imperialism.

There

are other cases that betray a non-sympathetic attitude to the West, such

as

the presentation of European Renaissance as a direct offshoot of Islamic
Medieval civilization and the portrayal of Western knowledge as

potentially

harmful to Islam.

In summary, the above findings in the light of the criteria followed by

CMIP

indicate only too clearly that this latest issue of PA textbooks too does
not meet international standards as far as the attitude to the "other" and
to peace is concerned. Though short-lived and minute nuances of

improvement

have been noticed at times during the last five years, including in this
latest issue, the bottom line is unequivocally clear: The PA project of
school textbook publishing has not contributed, and still does not
contribute, to peace and reconciliation with Israel. Rather, the opposite

is

true. There are still two grades - eleven and twelve - that are supposed

to

receive their new books next year.
http://www.operationsick.com/doc120.php

more ***** blatent lies.....which is why most of the UN dont

recognise Israel

Wrong ***** lifter, why do you have to lie?

Teach Kids PeaceT is an international human rights organization dedicated to
ending the Culture of Hatred that is being taught to children, and to
encourage the promotion of peace education for children in conflict zones,
though raising public awareness and calling on world leaders to take the
required action to prevent this form of child abuse.

Teach Kids Peace focuses primarily on the Middle East, long the center of
world history and civilization. With a wave of electoral progress in the
region ? Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Palestinian areas, and the
glimmer of progress toward a comprehensive peace agreement with Israel ? it
is now more crucial than ever to ensure that children are educated toward
peace.

As terrorism stands at the center of world challenges for the 21st century,
Teach Kids Peace maintains that reforming education is the most important ?
and often most ignored ? key to eliminating terror. Terrorists are not born,
they're taught. September 11 and other attacks were only possible through
years of indoctrination in schools, media, and mosques. Hateful teachings
produce hateful actions. Stopping incitement is the only way to stop terror.

Teach Kids Peace monitors and documents progress children's education for
peace, linking campuses around the globe to generate public awareness,
producing original resource materials, and lobbying governments to effect
change in the Middle East.

Teach Kids Peace is affiliated with Middle East Media Watch, a section
501(c)(3) tax-exempt, non-profit educational organization.

Education is the primary source for influencing and shaping society. We need
to ensure that we are harnessing the full potential for our education
system, to educate today's youth toward a culture of peace. The programs and
activism generated by Teach Kids Peace will encourage the leaders of today
and tomorrow to value the dignity and rights of every human life, recognize
injustice, and respond to conflict with methods other than violence.

Because true peace can only be achieved when children are taught to love
peace.

Help us in our campaign to create a better world.

For the sake of the children. for the sake of our future.
http://www.operationsick.com/about.php