According to a recent report in Palestinian Media Watch, the Palestinian educational system continues to educate children to pursue martyrdom instead of contributing positively to society.
By Rachel Avraham
According to a recent report in Palestinian Media Watch, “Instead of encouraging children to reach heights in education and contribute something positive in their lives, the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Education continues to indoctrinate children to see dying for Allah – Shahada (Martyrdom) – as the great ideal.”
Palestinian Media Watch continued, “This child abuse was once again highlighted this week during celebrations of the UN’s “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” The Tulkarem Directorate of Education proudly posted photos on Facebook taken at the school events of children holding signs glorifying Martyrdom. One sign portrayed Martyrs as smelling sweeter than a jasmine flower.”
As the Tulkarem Directorate of Education stated on its Facebook page, “How could a jasmine (sweet-smelling flower) not envy a homeland that smells of Martyrs?” In another post, they stated: “We will live like soaring eagles, and we will die like proud lions; we are all for the homeland and we are all for Palestine.”
According to Palestinian Media Watch, “These slogans encapsulate the PA’s indoctrination that Martyrdom, even for children, is not tragic or regrettable, but something beautiful, fragrant, and desirable. This drives home the ideology that Palestine is a homeland defined by Martyrs, violence is noble, and all of Israel belongs exclusively to the Palestinians.”
Palestinian Media Watch added, “Other posters held by students featured the PA map of “Palestine,” which erases Israel and displays the entire territory from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea as Palestinian land.” One sign was accompanied by the slogan: “The compass will never deviate from the path and will continue to point towards Palestine.”
According to Palestinian Media Watch, “Other students carried large symbolic keys, representing the so-called “right of return,” which the PA teaches is an inevitable immigration to all of Israel’s cities and towns of nearly 6 million Arab descendants of so-called “refugees.” The message to the children is that Israel has no right to exist and that the national mission, or “the path,” remains the elimination of Israel.”
Palestinian Media Watch noted, “The events were attended by high-level PA officials, including Tulkarem Education Directorate Director-General Mazen Jarrar, Tulkarem District representative Rasha Sabah, and Fatah Movement Tulkarem Branch Secretary Iyad Jarrad.”
Palestinian Media Watch concluded, “These official PA education events, which glorify violence, romanticize Martyrdom, erase Israel from the map, and instill lifelong hatred towards Israel, are all part of the ongoing PA campaign to ensure that the next generation denies Israel’s right to exist and is willing to fight and seek death to achieve its goals.”
Photo from Palestinian Media Watch: https://palwatch.org/page/41750
