Prevention of Incitement in the IsraeliPalestinian Peace Process
Ministry of Strategic Affairs
February 28, 2013
yosefk@pmo.gov.il
• Ending incitement to terror and hatred, and taking
all necessary steps to build a culture of peace, has
always been considered essential for the
establishment of a viable and positive IsraeliPalestinian peace.
• Nearly all of the agreements between the parties
have included a call, primarily upon the Palestinians,
to halt incitement.
• Nevertheless, the Palestinian Authority has taken
no steps to halt the pervasive incitement and
indoctrination to hate, and to develop a culture of
peace and mutual recognition.
Two girls on PA TV: “I want to carry a machine gun
and a rifle…and we shall strike Israel”
PA TV presenter: “The Palestinian prisoner, Sanaa
Shehadeh, has been [imprisoned] 9 years.”
Prisoner's nieces: "I want to recite a song for you [Shehadeh]:
[PA TV, May 28, 2010. Shehadeh transported a
suicide bomber to Jerusalem in 2002 in an attack in
which three civilians were murdered]
View
• The PA’s systematic incitement creates on the societal
level both a psychological infrastructure and patterns of
behavior which together provide the logic, justification and
inspiration for acts of terror and violence.
• Children and youth are a key target audience of the PA’s
incitement and indoctrination. There is not even one single
program in the PA educational curriculum meant to
prepare Palestinian children for peace and co-existence
with Israel.
• The central message of PA institutions, bodies, media
and officials reflects the core of the Palestinian narrative.
This message is composed of four key components:
1. The dispute with Israel is not over territory, but over the
very existence of Israel, let alone its existence as a Jewish
state.
2. The ultimate goal is to eliminate the Jewish State and to
establish a Palestinian state on all of the land. The conflict
will not end until this is achieved, regardless of any
agreements signed.
3. Demonization and dehumanization of ‘the Zionists’- Jews
in general and Israelis in particular – and settlers above all.
4. All forms of struggle- including terrorism- are legitimate in
pursuit of the ultimate goal. Terrorists are national heroes
and role models. At times diplomatic or political struggle
together with reduced violence may be more expedient than
terror. Agreements with Israel do not negate the legitimacy
of all forms of struggle.
This combination of messages- the
legitimacy of violence, the glorification of
terrorists, the demonization and
dehumanization of Israel, and the dream
of eliminating the its existenceconstitutes both the central obstacle to
peace and a trigger to acts of terror and
violence
In spite of the Palestinian claim that the articles
contradicting the Oslo agreements were removed from the
Palestinian National Charter in 1998, for example:
• Article 9: Armed struggle is the only way to liberate
Palestine. This is the overall strategy, not merely a
tactical phase…
• Article 15: The liberation of Palestine, from an Arab
viewpoint, is a national duty and it attempts to repel the
Zionist and imperialist aggression against the Arab
homeland, and aims at the elimination of Zionism…
The original 1968 charter still appears in full on many PLO
websites:
http://plord.ps/ar/in
dex.php?act=Show
&id=500
http://plord.ps/ar/index.ph
p?act=Show&id=500
http://www.palaestina.org/fileadmin/Dat
en/Dokumente/Abkommen/PLO/palaest
inensische_nationalcharta.pdf
On Nov. 21, 2012 a link to a music
video entitled “Good morning, O’my
land” was uploaded to the official
facebook page of the Presidential
Guard.
The closing lines of the songs,
declare: “A morning of return, Jaffa,
Haifa, Gaza, Ramallah will certainly
be our meeting place at the end of
the day”
The phrase “Haifa will certainly be
our meeting place” is given special
emphasis and appears numerous
times on the screen.
View
Jews have no connection to their homeland
Palestinian narrator: "I'm from Jaffa, I'm from Haifa, I'm
from Acre, I'm from Nazareth…
Where are you [Israelis] from? Where are you from?
Where are you from?
Of course, you're from Ukraine; of course, you're from
Germany, from Poland, from Russia, from Ethiopia, the
Falasha (pejorative for Ethiopian Jews).
Why have you stolen my homeland and taken my place?
Please, I ask of you, return to your original homeland, so
that I can return to my original homeland. This is my
homeland; go back to your homeland!“
[PA TV, May 4, 2010]
View
PA Chair Abbas sits front row, center while
performer declares: “We promise to stand behind
you, Abbas” as we return to “Haifa, Rosh Hanikra
and the Jordan Valley”
Abbas and other PA and Fatah leaders sit front row
at a musical performance broadcast on PA TV. The
singer declares “ I am returning to you, the purest
land, oh land of the free…From Rafah to Rosh
Hanikra, north and south, are the picture's borders.
From Haifa and Tantura to the [Jordan] valley."
[This video aired dozens of
times since 2011]
View
The Jewish and Israeli connection to the land is
systematically erased in Palestinian school
textbooks
• A Mandate-era stamp of Palestine is distorted to
hide the presence of Hebrew writing
• “The Levant countries [Al-Sham] presently consist of
the states of Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.”
History of Ancient Civilizations, Grade 5, (2012), p. 27
Story in magazine of the PA Education Ministry: When we
will be ready and equipped like the Israelis, then we shall
return to Haifa
“After the 2nd grade teacher read the Arabic Language
lesson entitled "a journey to Haifa", Ahmed was amazed
and asked: "Teacher, why does the school not take us on a
trip to visit Haifa? We always go to Jericho, Ramallah or
Tulkarem. From the moment that you begin to read us the
story I am thinking about beautiful Haifa."
The teacher sat in silence for a few minutes and then said
"It is the Occupation."
Ahmed: "What is the Occupation?"
Teacher:" It is a group of people that attacked our land,
scared the people, killed some of them and exiled them
from the place where they lived."
Ahmed: "Why didn't the people defend themselves?“
(continued…)
Teacher: "They tried to with
force, but the 'Israelis' were
better equipped and better
trained. One day we shall
certainly return to our land,
my students."
Ahmed: "Do you know
when we will return our
land to ourselves-“ The
teacher smiled and asked:
"When, Ahmed?"
Ahmed: "When we will be
equipped and ready like
they are.””
[El-Mesira, June 2012 (Issue 79), p. 18]
Bridge of Return
Only one way to Palestinethrough the barrel of a gun
Fatah Facebook, administered by the Department of Communications in the Office of
Recruitment and Organization (Ramallah), Left- Nov. 5, 2012; Right- Oct. 21, 2012.
For the 63rd Nakba day:
“Through the rifle
we will return
To Palestine”
From the facebook page of the ‘Talfit’ high school for boys and girls,
southern Nablus, uploaded May 15, 2011
Inscription on left:
“100% Arab”
On the map:
“Palestine”
Administered by the Office for Internal Relations (headed by Azzam Al-Ahmad,
Ramallah), right- uploaded Sept. 1, 2012, left- uploaded July 12, 2012
PA TV dedicates segment to ‘artwork’
depicting Israel (symbolized by Jewish head
covering) as a bloodthirsty beast
View
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
feature=player_embedded&v=G
coS0TIy7B4
[PA TV, July 13, 2012]
[Al-Quds daily, Aug. 29, 2012]
PA daily
Al-Hayat Al-Jadida,
Jan. 5, 2009
“logo of the Security Council”
Der Stuermer
February 1930
Zayzafuna, the PLO-sponsored and PA-funded
children’s magazine presents Hitler as a role model
In its Feb. 2011 issue the children’s magazine Zayzafuna published
an essay by a girl who describes a dream in which she meets four
prominent figures who are presented as role models. They are the
9th-century mathematician Al-Khwarizmi; the Egyptian author
Naguib Mahfouz; the 12th-century conqueror Saladin, and Adolf
Hitler.
Excerpt: "... and suddenly I saw four white doors in front of me…
I opened the first door…I asked him, 'Who are you?'
He said, 'I am Al-Khwarizmi.' I said: 'You're the one who invented
mathematics and arithmetic?'. ..I turned to the next door; there Hitler
awaited me. I said, 'You're the one who killed the Jews?'
He said: 'Yes. I killed them so you would all know that they are a
nation which spreads destruction all over the world. And what I
ask of you is to be resilient and patient, concerning the suffering that
Palestine is experiencing at their hands.' I said: 'Thanks for the
advice.‘”
On cover: “Part of the
UNESCO-affiliated
network” (UNESCO cut
off its funding for the
magazine following
exposure of the essay on
Hitler.)
From the facebook page of the ‘Iktaba’ high school for girls in Tulkarem,
uploaded May 22, 2012
From the facebook page of the ‘Anabta’ high school for girls near Tulkarm,
uploaded Jan. 26, 2012
Introduction to PA TV program on Palestinian
prisoners depicts fictitious torture methods allegedly
used in Israeli prisons (Jan. 11, 2010)
Burning a prisoner's
chest with an iron.
Hanging prisoner by
arms while chains
pull at his body.
Drilling a hole
through hand.
Burning into shoulder
with a soldering iron.
Chopping off a
prisoner's hand.
Squeezing a prisoner's
head in a head press.
“The fight against the Jews and the victory over them: The
Messenger of Allah has already announced the end of the Jews’
oppression of this land and the removal of their corruption and
conquest of it.
“…[God’s Messenger said] The Hour of Resurrection will not
come until the Muslims fight the Jews. The Muslims will kill
them, and when a Jew would hide behind a rock or a tree the
rock or the tree would say: ‘O Muslim, O worshipper of God!
There is a Jew behind me; come and kill him’, except the salt
bush (Gharqad), which is the Jews’ tree.””
[PA Education Ministry, Islamic Studies, “Foundations of Belief”
textbook, Grade 11, 2011, pg. 94]
.
Illustration by Umaya Juha.
The tree is saying
“O Muslim, O worshipper of God!
This is a Jew behind me; come
and kill him”
]From the Facebook page of the
‘Iktaba’ girls high school in Tulkarm,
Jan. 22, 2012]
The official Mufti of the PA quoted this
Islamic tradition at a public ceremony
celebrating the founding of Fatah.
At the end he declared that this was the
reason that many settlements have been
surrounded by salt bushes.
View
[PA TV, Jan. 9, 2012]
Poem: “Palestine,” by Ali Mahmoud Taha
[Excerpts]
My brother, the oppressors crossed all limits/ So Jihad
is justified, and so is life-sacrifice (Fida)
Are we to let them rob Arabism/ The glory of the
forefathers and the honor?
Only with the rattle of swords/ They answer us with
voice or echo
So pull your blade from its sheath/ It should not stay
there any more
My brother, Oh proud Arab/ Today is the time, not
tomorrow …My brother, in Jerusalem we have a sister/
For her, the slaughterers prepared their knives
The Reading and the Texts, Grade 8, Part 1, (2010), p. 66
Schoolbook’s text
The song “Palestine”
Official Palestinian Authority television
View
[PA TV, Nov. 23, 2010]
A girl on PA TV dedicates a song celebrating martyrdom
and death to an Islamic Jihad commander serving a life
sentence (Apr. 13, 2011)
View
“When we die as martyr’s our souls will go to Paradise…
You taught us the meaning of heroism”
The Facebook page of the
‘Palestine’ elementary school for
boys in Qalqilya posted On March
19, 2012 an expanded version of
the song in which children act out
the lyrics
View
On PA TV: Glorification of Fogel family murderers
Mother of Hakim Awad: "I thank you for connecting me with
my son…My greetings to dear Hakim, the apple of my eye,
from the village of Awarta, 17 years old, who carried out the
operation in Itamar (i.e., killing of 5 Fogel family members
among them a 3-month old baby, March 11, 2011)..."
Aunt of Hakim Awad: “…and to my nephew Hakim Awad, the
hero, the legend."
Host: "We [PA TV], for our part, also convey our greetings
to them."
[PA TV - Aired Jan. 19 and rebroadcast Jan. 21, 2012]
View
On Dec. 2, 2011 Abbas met in Turkey with the released
terrorist Amna Muna, who was involved in the
kidnapping and murder of a 16-year old Israeli boy. In
2001 Muna lured Israeli teenager Ofir Rahum into meeting
her in Jerusalem and then drove him to an area near
Ramallah where her co-conspirators shot him 15 times.
Amna Muna and Mahmoud Abbas, in their meeting in Turkey
Speech by Abbas on day of Gilad Shalit prisoner release
(18.10.11)
“…you are people of struggle and Jihad fighters for Allah and
the homeland. We ask of Allah, may He be exalted, to fulfill our
wish to see the rest of our brothers and sisters released like you,
at this plaza, Allah willing. ..In the future, Allah willing, in the very
near future, we will see here our brother Marwan Barghouti and
our brother Ahmad Sa'adat, to whom we wish a speedy recovery.
And we want to see, Allah willing, Ibrahim Hamed also, and
Abbas Al-Sayed, and every male and female prisoner, returning,
released, to the homeland, Allah willing.” View
Marwan Barghouti - serving five life sentences for orchestrating suicide
bombings against Israeli civilians.
Ahmad Sa'adat –Head of terrorist organization PFLP. Believed to have
planned murder of Israeli tourism minister Rehavam Zeevi
Ibrahim Hamed – Hamas leader who orchestrated many suicide bombings
(including attacks at Hebrew U., Cafe Moment and Cafe Hillel.)
Abbas Al-Sayid – serving 35 life sentences for planning numerous suicide
bombing, including the Passover Massacre at the Park Hotel in Netanya.
Next
Expenditure for
amounts in NIS
percentages
families of shahids
17,678,247
%3.64
terrorists incarcerated
in Israel
15,965,383
%2.43
Hamas' winter camps
for youngsters
(Hamas forum
website, Jan. 27, 2013)
Hamas rally (Hamas forum
website, Dec. 9, 2012)
Kindergarten children in the
Square of the Unknown Soldier
in Gaza City (Qudsnet website,
November 25, 2012)
The Culture of Peace and Incitement Index
Central Findings
The Index is a tool developed to methodically track
levels of incitement and ‘peace-culture’ building in
the PA. It tracks the messages and ideas promoted
by PA officials, institutions, bodies, media outlets
and education system. The Index has been
prepared on a quarterly basis since October 2009.
The Index’s findings demonstrate that the core of
the conflict is the PA’s continued denial of Israel’s
right to exist, let alone exist as a Jewish State, in
any borders.
The 4 Dimensions Over 11 Quarters
Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun Jul-Sep
'10
'10
'10
'10
'11
'11
'11
'11
'12
'12
'12
0
-10
-20
-30
-40
-50
-60
-70
Explicit Incitement to Violence
Encouraging an Atmosphere of Violence
Incitement to Hatred and Demonization
Preparing Public for Peace or Conflict
Weighted Final Result for July-Sept. 2012: -40.27
Weighted final results over 11 quarters
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
-30
-35
-40
-45
-30.04
-33.77
-33.82
-36.04
-37.18
-32.48
-33.69
-37.17 -37.94
-39.55
-40.27
1. The Palestinian Authority continues to promote
incitement against Israel and a culture of hate, terror,
and non-acceptance towards Israelis and Jews.
There are thousands of examples of such
incitement.
2. The PA makes special efforts to inculcate these
messages of hate, violence and delegitimization
among children, via formal and informal educational
frameworks, and television programs, magazines
and cultural events aimed at children. The PA makes
no efforts to educate for peace and co-existence with
Israel.
3. The continuous incitement leads to acts of
terror and violence by the Palestinians,
creates a culture of hate and perpetuates the
conflict. It is in complete contradiction to the
PA’s commitments under the Oslo
Agreement.
As long as Palestinian children are taught that
terror is legitimate and Israel’s existence is
not, a viable peace will remain beyond reach.
• In order to create the conditions for a real viable
peace, the Palestinian Authority must adopt a zero
tolerance policy towards incitement, cease
indoctrination to hate, particularly in educational
frameworks and platforms, and begin building a
culture of peace.
• The international community should insist that the
PA adopts this zero tolerance policy, and ensure
that donor countries and international institutions do
not in any way fund or otherwise support this
incitement.