An EU official who oversees aid to the PA supports the conditioning of EU funds on the removal of antisemitic references and examples that incite hatred from Palestinian textbooks.
The European Union official who oversees aid to the Palestinian Authority has voiced support for conditioning the release of funds on the removal of incitement and antisemitism from PA textbooks, reports the Europe News.
His decision follows two European Parliament resolutions from last week demanding the „deletion of all antisemitic references, and removal of examples that incite hatred and violence” in Palestinian textbooks and calls for a funding freeze.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, tweeted that „incitement to hatred and violence and glorification of terror violate EU core values,” adding that turning a blind eye is not an option, as such behaviour, especially in children’s textbooks, poisons the society in Europe and beyond. Varhely confirmed that the „commission duly notes this request from the budgetary authority.”
Earlier this year, Varhelyi said that the EU would not fund Palestinian textbooks that contain incitement against Israel, and he also announced that the EU would conduct a second study of PA textbooks. The commissioner was aggressively targeted due to his earlier propositions on the conditioning of EU funding to the PA.
Unlike previous resolutions, which mentioned incitement to violence without directly calling for the removal of antisemitism, the wording of the resolutions last week explicitly links EU-funded textbooks to the „rising involvement of teenagers in terrorist attacks. „The European Parliament resolutions stated that the European Union should freeze its funding to the PA until its curriculum is aligned with UNESCO standards.”
Photo credit: Nasser Ishtayeh/Flash90
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