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🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

Reforming Palestinian schools key to ending 'Pay-for-Slay,' panelists say

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Panelists argue that ending the "indoctrination" of Palestinian schoolchildren is crucial to dismantling the Palestinian Authority's "Pay-for-Slay" program.
  • They contend that the Palestinian Authority's school system teaches children to glorify martyrdom, making terrorists out of them.
  • Efforts have been made to shift East Jerusalem Arab schools away from the Palestinian curriculum towards an Israeli one, with some success in reducing reliance on the former.

A recent StandWithUs event highlighted the view that reforming the Palestinian education system is essential to combating radicalization and undermining programs like "Pay-for-Slay," which rewards the killing of Israelis and Jews.

Why are people terrorists? Because they're indoctrinated. These kids are taught in the Palestinian Authority school system, which is good enough for Hamas, that the best thing they can do with their lives is martyr themselves. Their heroes are shahids (martyrs).

— Fleur Hassan-NahoumFormer Jerusalem deputy mayor and special envoy for trade and innovation, explaining the perceived link between Palestinian education and terrorism.

Panelists asserted that the Palestinian Authority's school system indoctrinates children, teaching them that martyrdom is the highest aspiration and that terrorists are heroes. Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, former deputy mayor of Jerusalem and special envoy for trade and innovation, moderated the discussion. She stated, "Why are people terrorists? Because they're indoctrinated. These kids are taught in the Palestinian Authority school system... that the best thing they can do with their lives is martyr themselves."

At the time when I went into city council in 2016, 93% of kids in Jerusalem in the Arab educational system were learning the same school books as the kids in Gaza.

— Fleur Hassan-NahoumHighlighting the extent of the Palestinian curriculum's influence in East Jerusalem schools prior to reform efforts.

Hassan-Nahoum shared her experience working to address the educational system in East Jerusalem. She noted that in 2016, 93% of Arab students in Jerusalem's educational system used textbooks aligned with the Palestinian curriculum, similar to those used in Gaza, including UNRWA schools. Through incentivizing schools to adopt the Arab-Israeli curriculum, which includes Arabic as a first language and Hebrew as a second, this figure has decreased to 53% over a decade.

First of all, we have to tackle the root cause of the conflict. That's the number one thing that has to be tackled, the education system.

— Anne HerzbergLegal advisor for NGO Monitor, stressing the importance of educational reform in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Anne Herzberg, legal advisor for NGO Monitor, emphasized that tackling the root cause of the conflict lies in reforming the education system. She argued that without this reform, Israel cannot effectively counter radicalism within Palestinian society. The panelists' focus on education underscores a belief that changing the curriculum is a primary strategy for achieving long-term peace and security.

Without first reforming the educational system, she added, Israel will not be able to make headway in defanging radicalism in Palestinian society.

— Anne HerzbergEmphasizing the necessity of educational reform for countering radicalism.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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