Palestinian textbooks debate reaches US campaign

[bemildred]

(AP) RAMALLAH, West Bank — Do Palestinian school textbooks "teach terrorism," as Newt Gingrich claimed in a recent debate among U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls?

His example — that Palestinians "have text books that say, 'If there are 13 Jews and nine Jews are killed, how many Jews are left?'" — is not in any of the texts, researchers say.

As for Gingrich's broader claim, the textbooks don't directly encourage anti-Israeli violence, but they also don't really teach peace, studies say.

A review of some texts by The AP, as well as several studies by Israeli, Palestinian and international researchers, found no direct calls for violence against Israel. However, the books lack material about the historic Jewish presence in the region and scarcely mention Israel and then mostly in a negative way. Peace with Israel rarely comes up. Texts for religious schools are harder-core, openly glorifying martyrdom.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501713_162-57344664/palestinian-textbooks-debate-reaches-us-campaign/

[Crunchy Frog]

1. And I'm wondering what Israeli textbooks have to say about Arabs and Palestinians.

Do they contain much information about historic Palestinian presence in the region?

[oberliner]

2. He had to make that one up

"If there are 13 Jews and nine Jews are killed, how many Jews are left?"

Was he making a rhetorical point or claiming that an actual textbook had that precise text?

Edit to Add:

From JPost:

Here, Gingrich was correct in principle but his example was not. The PA schoolbooks do not include that particular math question.

http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=249675

[bemildred]

3. He makes a lot of stuff up from what I can tell.

Winging it is the Newt style.

[oberliner]

4. They should revoke his Historian License

This is pretty irresponsible behavior for a highly-paid historian.

[bemildred]

5. But utterly typical of your average politician.

Newt however seems to be unable to learn from past experience. I mean he ought to know by now that people are going to check what he says. He acts more like Trump, who knows nothing he says today will matter tomorrow.

[Violet_Crumble]

6. Is the US fascinated by anyone else's text books?

There seems to be something approaching obsession when it comes to Palestinian textbooks, but I'm not aware of US politicians being the slightest bit interested in what the content of textbooks from any other countries...

[oberliner]

7. Yes

First, there is nothing "approaching obsession" when it comes to Palestinian textbooks.

Second, there has been some fascination with textbooks in other countries, mostly in the Middle East, that allegedly appear to promote "hatred against the West" or something of that nature.

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are two that come to mind.

For instance:

6/11/2008: Saudi Arabia: USCIRF Confirms Material Inciting Violence, Intolerance Remains in Textbooks Used at Saudi Government's Islamic Saudi Academy

http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2206&Itemid=1

[Violet_Crumble]

8. Not to the same extent...

When the US Congress and countless politicians show so much interest in Palestinian textbooks, it is something approaching obsession. It's all politically driven, of course, and I doubt very few US politicians genuinely care about Palestinian education in general.

[bemildred]

9. We are always interested in the textbooks of government we wish to discredit.

Otherwise, mostly not. Textbooks is viewed as a lucrative racket otherwise. Been that way a long time, I remember being brainwashed about Soviet and Chinese educational practices and materials (BRAINWASHING!!!!!) in the 50s & 60s.