90 PERCENT

From Palestinian Media Watch

Nearly 90% of Palestinian youth deny Israel's right to exist
by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook- Feb. 28, 2007


Map in new schoolbook -
Israel is “Palestine”
[Geography grade 12, p. 143]

A recent poll of Palestinian children shows a direct correlation between the PA curriculum and Palestinian children's opinions. PMW's newest report on Palestinian Authority schoolbooks warns that because of the PA curriculum, which repeatedly and utterly rejects Israel's right to exist, "The well-meaning (Palestinian) student is left with no logical justification or religious option to accept Israel as a neighbor ..."
[See full Executive Summary below and Chapters 1-4 of report.]

At a Washington news conference to release the new report, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton likewise concluded that these PA schoolbooks are "...deeply disturbing, particularly for the denial of Israel's existence..."

The results that PMW and Sen. Clinton have warned about can be seen in a new poll released by Near East Consulting, a Palestinian research institute, which asked Palestinians, "Does Israel have the right to exist?"
Among young people ages 18 -25, those who have been most influenced by PA education, an overwhelming number - between 84% - 93% -- denied Israel's right to exist. [http://www.neareastconsulting.com/] This was higher than the overall figure of 75% who denied Israel's right to exist. It should be noted that PA teachings denying Israel's right to exist are endemic throughout PA society and media, including among Fatah leaders, which would account for the high levels of denial of Israel's legitimacy throughout PA society.