Ministry for Diaspora Affairs | October 2024

Insights and Call to Action

The official educational system of the PA’s – as it portrays the conflict with Israel, is built upon two interconnected pillars that demand action: • Delegitimization of the very existence of the State of Israel and Jewish residents in any part of the land; denial of Jewish history in the land and of their holy sites; demonization of Israel and Jews. • Advocacy for the violent struggle to liberate the entire land, including the territory of Israel within its 1967 borders. Glorification of terrorism and its perpetrators is an integral part of the struggle, and as a direct consequence it encourages the killing of Jews. In light of the significant escalation in Palestinian terrorism and violence, it can be stated, after decades of research, that the Palestinian Authority’s educational system instills in the next generation a mindset of being “ready” for the future destruction of Israel and its citizens. The international community, with an emphasis on Western countries, led by the United States, must stop looking the other way and instead compel the Palestinian Authority to promote a new educational framework: One that cherishes life instead of the culture of death and the eradication of Zionism; explicitly recognizes Israel’s right to existence and the presence of its Jewish citizens in the land; and install a mindset of resolving the conflict solely through peaceful means. The international community, particularly the European Union, should take significant and practical steps: • Condition financial support for the PA’s educational system on a shift from incitement to war against Israel to education for peace with Israel. • Establish an effective oversight mechanism to remove from the educational curriculum all content, both text and imagery, that encourages terrorism and antisemitism. • Set up a monitoring system for the teaching staff and the Palestinian Teachers’ Union, including UNRWA, to prevent persons who are involved with terrorism and incitement to terrorism to also work with and educate children. • Increase supervision over the content and funding of supplementary educational frameworks such as summer camps, official social networks, higher education, and more to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for terrorism.