For the first time, an Israeli government ministry has announced that it would conduct a study of textbooks used in the PA educational system. So reported investigative journalist David Bedein today, saying that his queries to the Foreign Ministry on the matter had finally paid off. In addition, the ministry has instructed Ambassador to Belgium Sha\'ul Amour to discuss the topic of \"anti-Israel incitement in PA schoolbooks\" with the Foreign Minister of Belgium; Belgium is scheduled to fund PA textbooks this year.
The Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace presented its evaluation of the textbooks at a Jerusalem press conference last Wednesday; the full text of the findings can be seen at \"http://www.edume.org/new/index.htm\". The introduction states,
\"In the two academic years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) introduced 58 new textbooks and two teachers\' guides for grades 1, 2, 6, 7 and 11. CMIP has conducted a comprehensive survey of these textbooks in order to determine how they relate to peace, tolerance, recognition and reconciliation according to criteria set by the international community.
\"CMIP has found that the new PNA textbooks do not fulfill these criteria in educating to peace and reconciliation with Israel, but rather foster a multi-faceted rejection of its existence. The educational approach employed by the PNA does not reflect international standards as defined by UNESCO (see their criteria in the Introduction). The textbooks do not teach acceptance of Israel\'s existence on the national level, and instead of working to erase hateful stereotypes, the new PNA curriculum is instilling them into the next generation\'s consciousness.\"
The Center for Monitoring the Impact of Peace presented its evaluation of the textbooks at a Jerusalem press conference last Wednesday; the full text of the findings can be seen at \"http://www.edume.org/new/index.htm\". The introduction states,
\"In the two academic years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) introduced 58 new textbooks and two teachers\' guides for grades 1, 2, 6, 7 and 11. CMIP has conducted a comprehensive survey of these textbooks in order to determine how they relate to peace, tolerance, recognition and reconciliation according to criteria set by the international community.
\"CMIP has found that the new PNA textbooks do not fulfill these criteria in educating to peace and reconciliation with Israel, but rather foster a multi-faceted rejection of its existence. The educational approach employed by the PNA does not reflect international standards as defined by UNESCO (see their criteria in the Introduction). The textbooks do not teach acceptance of Israel\'s existence on the national level, and instead of working to erase hateful stereotypes, the new PNA curriculum is instilling them into the next generation\'s consciousness.\"