M-E schools textbooks expert briefs Australian MPs
The ECAJ and Parliamentary Friends of Israel have co-hosted Middle East textbooks expert Marcus Sheff at Parliament House in Canberra.
ECAJ Co-CEO Peter Wertheim, Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Israel Senator Deborah O’Neill and Marcus Sheff
Marcus addressed a group of more than 20 MPs, presenting a survey of school textbooks in the Middle East, North Africa and Indonesia and the extent to which they comply with internationally-recognised standards in promoting peace and tolerance.
He said that there had been significant improvements in textbooks in countries that have recently normalised relations with Israel, as well as Saudi Arabia.
However, he gave examples of how the contents of school textbooks approved by the Palestinian Authority have gone from bad to worse in their open promotion of antisemitism and glorification of terrorism and violence.
He also explained how UNRWA facilitates and collaborates in this process, which poisons the minds of some 1.3 million Palestinian school children in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, putting any possibility of peace with Israel out of reach on any terms.
The Australian government earmarked $20 million in overseas development assistance for UNRWA in its recent budget.
The Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se), is a research and policy nonprofit that analyses textbooks, employing standards on peace and tolerance as derived from UNESCO declarations and resolutions and presenting recommendations to policymakers.
Marcus Sheff is the CEO and had briefed amongst others, the White House, National Security Council, US State Department, the US Congress, the United Nations, the European Parliament, and Commission and to governments and parliamentarians around Europe
Absolutely agree with David’s comments. In truth, we have to face the fact that there are very few – hardly any – MPs interested in Jews or in the reality Israel faces. That goes for the general population of Australia as well
What a pathetic turnout of “more than 20 MP’s” to hear Marcus Sheff – as the Government happily shells out $20 million to help UNRWA poison young Palestinian Arab schoolchildrens’ minds.
58% of UNRWA’s 2020 Programme Budget of US$ 806 million was earmarked for education under the priority that ‘school-aged children complete quality, equitable and inclusive basic education’. Jew-hatred is obviously top of the curriculum.