That Elusive Israeli-Palestinian Peace Agreement

"This past weekend it emerged that last year the British government funnelled £20 million to Palestinian schools. A review by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-se) found that these revenues go towards funding a curriculum which omits teaching peace, promotes the use of violence -- specifically jihad -- and encourages martyrdom. An analysis of the textbooks used in Palestinian schools funded by the UK government -- using UK taxpayers' money -- found that these textbooks, which come from the Palestinian Authority (PA), 'exerts pressure over young Palestinians to acts of violence'."
"Elsewhere, the study found that social studies books included images of children in their school rooms with an empty desk fitted with a sign reading "martyr". Repeatedly the textbooks refer to the "Occupation", to "Zionist Occupation", "Zionists" and much more, all of which perpetuates the notion that Israelis are "invaders" and "oppressors". In other words, these textbooks are clearly and consistently intended to indoctrinate a new generation of Palestinian children to hatred of their neighbours. Any government genuinely interested in promoting peace would withdraw funding from any entity -- wherever in the world it was -- which taught violence as such a core part of its curriculum."
"The IMPACT-se investigation revealed, however, that "radicalization is pervasive across this new curriculum." And not just pervasive, but pervasive "to a greater extent than before." The study found that in textbooks which pretend to be teaching "equal rights'", girls are encouraged to sacrifice their lives. A textbook aimed at 5^th grade children (that is, children aged 10) teaches that "drinking the cup of bitterness with glory is much sweeter than a pleasant long life accompanied by humiliation." Another textbook urges that "Giving one's life, sacrifice, fight, jihad and struggle are the most important meanings of life."
Douglas Murray, The Gatestone Institute

Pictured: A screenshot from the Sunday Times article exposing the British government's funding of a Palestinian curriculum which promotes the use of violence -- specifically jihad -- and encourages martyrdom.

Britain appears to be oblivious to what its funding is enabling. Education is of universal vital importance. Imparting to vulnerable, questing minds the fundamentals of social, cultural and enlightened civil behaviour along with the fundamentals of numeracy, literacy, science, geography and art is the basis upon which young minds should thrive and mature. And this, obviously, is what Great Britain feels its funding of Palestinian textbooks achieves. But it seems that Britain is as oblivious to the reality pertaining in the Middle East as it is within its own bailiwick.

Interestingly enough, a 2016 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the international body which investigates and weighs the success or lack of in development of advanced nations, discovered that England ranks dead last in literacy in the developed world. The very same study found that Britain came in second-to-last in numeracy in the developed world. A breath-gasping reality. Examining up the chain of education, it was found that even among British university graduates one in ten held literacy/numeracy skills in the "low" classification.

In the last few days much has been made in the news media of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's having stated during an interview: "I believe the Palestinians and the Israelis have the right to have their own land. But we have to have a peace agreement to assure the stability for everyone and to have normal relations". This statement was viewed as a great breakthrough, progress. The 'normal relations' he referred to would be the recognition, finally, of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states of the legitimacy of the existence of the State of Israel.

But those normal relations could only occur with a peaceful settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. The preconditions to Israel's acceptance in the Middle East and the recognition of the justness of a Jewish state re-established within its heritage geography entirely contingent on Israel making peace with the Palestinians. Which rather ignores the fact that Israel has attempted time over time, to do just that and has for its troubles, been rebuffed time and again.

So Prince Mohammed and his father, King Salman both appear to agree it's time to recognize Israel's right of existence. There is equivocation, however concerning 'religious concerns' relating to the Al- Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the 'right of return' of Palestinians. The third most sacred site for Muslims, the Noble Sanctuary which Judaism refers to as the Temple Mount where Solomon's two Temples once stood, vastly predating the existence of the mosque represents the most sacred site in Judaism.

Arabs are discomfited at a state meant to be a haven for Jews. Yet Saudi Arabia is diligent about excluding all but Saudis to citizenship in their bailiwick. Nor would they be receptive to discussing the origins of Saudi Arabia when the Saudis wrested territory from the indigenous Hashemites, sending them into exile (where Britain mollified them by giving them TransJordan, land meant to be returned to the Jews returning to Zion), nor to discuss the issue that Medina was wrested from ancient Jewish tribes indigenous to that area.

Seriously, who is Israel expected to negotiate with to arrive at a peace settlement with the Palestinians? Hamas, misgoverning Gaza, zealously conniving to destroy Israel, or Fatah with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, continually inciting Palestinians there to 'resist' normalcy (living in peace with Israel) and commit to 'resistance against the occupation'; there purely in defence against ongoing Palestinian suicide attacks against Israeli Jews. Both Hamas and Fatah design school curricula meant to infest young minds with hatred.

With whom should Israel negotiate for peace? As for the European Union forever sitting in judgement of Israel and finding its responses to ongoing violence against its citizens 'disproportionate', and Britain's leading role in relations between the Palestinians and Israel, they represent enablers to Palestinian violence and slander and the narrative of victimhood and in support of the Palestinian 'refugee' classification of the United Nations that views them as pathetic dependants incapable of fending for themselves under the heel of a militant oppressor.