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2009
- Arabs,
Islam and Palestinians in Israeli Textbooks : A Preliminary
Update
(pdf, 994 kb)
Yael Teff-Seker, November 2009
IMPACT-SE has recently started a review of Israeli schoolbooks
used in school year 2009-2010. It has discovered that the
encouraging fundamentals found in the previous report persisted
and even strengthened, namely: regarding the "other"
as first and foremost a human being; overcoming suspicion,
hatred and prejudices; knowing and respecting Islam and
Arabs; admitting the legitimacy of the rival national movement
and; presenting conflict in a balanced way. Despite deterioration
of Palestinian-Israeli relations after the second Intifada
and the deep disenchantment with the peace process among
Palestinians, peace is still considered something that might
and should happen one day, and is presented as obviously
positive and worthwhile for all sides.
- Peace
and the "Other" in Tunisian Schoolbooks - Concise
Final Report (pdf, 790 kb)
Dr. Arnon Groiss, November 2009
IMPACT-SE has concluded a report on Tunisia's schoolbooks.
The results are extraordinary: following reforms of revolutionary
proportions carried out by the Ministry of Education, the
Tunisian schoolbooks, in stark contrast with most Middle
Eastern curricula, emphasize the importance of tolerance,
peace and dialog with the “other,” equality
between all human groups, openness toward the “other”
and its culture (that is, the West), use of religion for
universal rapprochement, and restriction of the ideals of
(militant) jihad and martyrdom to historical events. Thus,
provided they apply the above tenants within the context
of the Middle East conflict, the Tunisian schoolbooks may
serve as a model for Arab and Muslim countries regarding
the attitude toward the "other" and to peace.
A concise report has been compiled from the full report,
which will be available here soon.
- Palestinian
Schoolbooks: An Updated Conclusion (pdf, 43 kb)
Dr. Arnon Groiss, October 2009
IMPACT-SE has studied the Palestinian Authority schoolbooks
used in the current school year (2009-2010), and has come
to the conclusion that although positive changes have occurred
in the books during the last two years, they still do not
amount to forming a clear departure from the negative fundamentals
in PA schoolbooks regarding the attitude to the Jewish and
Israeli “other” and to peaceful resolution of
the Middle Eastern conflict.
- Al-Fateh
European Tour Media Reactions
As part of, and following IMPACT-SE's presentations across
Europe in May 2009 (see report below), several articles
and interviews were published in the media in Arabic, English,
French and Spanish.
- IMPACT-SE
Al Fateh European Tour- May 2009 (pdf, 701
kb)
IMPACT-SE set out in May 2009 to present its findings on
Al-Fateh, the Hamas Web Magazine for Children in
Belgium, France and Spain. The object of the tour was to
help stem the growing trend in Europe calling for dialog
and engagement with Hamas, by raising awareness and demonstrating
to European parliamentarians and policymakers the true nature
of Hamas and its anti-Western, anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic
ideology, so that they take it into account when considering
changing official Quartet policy of non-recognition and
non-engagement vis-à-vis Hamas... [Read
more (pdf, 701 kb)]
2008
- IMPACT-SE Briefs Latin American Journalists on
Anti-Semitism in Middle Eastern Schoolbooks
December 3, 2008
IMPACT-SE Director of Research, Dr. Arnon Groiss, briefed
a group of Latin American Journalists touring Israel on
the harsh anti-Semitic trends found in the majority of Middle
Eastern curricula studied by IMPACT-SE (Syria,
Egypt, Saudi
Arabia, the Palestinian
Authority and Iran),
barring the Tunisian
curriculum, which stands in stark contrast with the
rest.
- IMPACT-SE
2007-2008 Annual Report (pdf, 958 kb)
Over the past year, IMPACT-SE has broadened the scope of
its research, published several reports and op-eds, presented
its material in panels and briefings and committed itself
to myriad projects in the field of research and advancement
of education for peace and tolerance. To Read the Full 2007-2008
Annual Report, click here: English
(pdf, 958 kb)
- IMPACT-SE Presentation
at European Parliament
November 11, 2008 - PowerPoint
(pdf, 297 kb)
IMPACT-SE Chairman Dr. Yohanan Manor, Director of Research
Dr. Arnon Groiss and Director of Communications David Oman
presented some of its latest research at a breakfast briefing
at the European Parliament on November 11, entitled: “The
Way to Peace in the Middle East: the Role of School Education
and Cultural Tolerance through Schoolbooks.”
- "Education
for Tolerance: A Ray of Hope in a Troubled Region"
(pdf, 16 kb)
By: David Oman, Khaled Aljenfawi and Nir Boms
November 8, 2008 - La Libre Belgique, Belgium
IMPACT-SE Board Member and journalist Nir Boms, Dr. Khaled
Aljenfawi, a Kuwaiti professor of English literature from
the University of Kuwait, and IMPACT-SE Director of Communications
David Oman have written an op-ed on the importance of education
for peace and tolerance for development and peace in the
Middle East, while contrasting the prevailing radical and
tolerant streams in Middle Eastern curricula. The collaboration
on the op-ed and the below editorial constitutes a groundbreaking
endeavor by Israelis and a Kuwaiti who, even in tumultuous
times in the Middle East, view education for peace and tolerance
toward the “other” as vital for the future of
the entire region.
English
(pdf, 16 kb) – French
(pdf, 202 kb)
- "The
‘Other’ in Arabic Education and Culture"
(pdf, 295 kb)
By Dr. Khaled Aljenfawi - November 8, 2008 - Arab Times,
Kuwait
Dr. Aljenfawi, who has written in the past on the concepts
of tolerance and the “other” in Arab culture,
education and society, wrote an editorial in his column
in the Arab Times on the concept of the “other”
in Arab education and culture. The editorial was edited
by IMPACT-SE and contains excerpts and phrases from a number
of IMPACT-SE reports.
- Anti-Semitism in
Middle Eastern Schoolbooks
International Conference on Anti-Semitism, November 6, 2008
IMPACT-SE Director of Research Dr. Arnon Groiss gave a presentation
entitled ‘The Jews’ Image in Current Middle
Eastern Schoolbooks’ at the International Conference
on Anti-Semitism at the Centre of Middle Eastern Studies,
Faculty of Philosophy and Arts, the University of West Bohemia
in Pilsen, the Czech Republic, on November 6, 2008.
- The Attitude
to the "Other" and to Peace in Tunisian School
Textbooks: A Preliminary Report
October 2008
IMPACT-SE has recently concluded a preliminary report on
the curriculum of Tunisia. The results are extraordinary:
following reforms of revolutionary proportions carried out
by the Ministry of Education, the Tunisian schoolbooks,
in stark contrast with most Middle Eastern curricula, emphasize
the importance of tolerance, peace and dialog with the “other,”
equality between all human groups, openness toward the “other”
and its culture (that is, the West), use of religion for
universal rapprochement, and restriction of the ideals of
jihad and martyrdom to historical events. The full report
is due in mid 2009. Supporting document:
- Research
Update reveals Lack of Change in Saudi Curriculum
July, 2008 (pdf, 227 kb)
The Saudi Arabian school curriculum has recently been at
the eye of a media storm due to the controversy surrounding
the Islamic Saudi Academy in Virginia, and the pledge made
by the Saudi government in 2006 to remove texts promoting
intolerance, hatred and extremism from its curriculum by
the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. In July, IMPACT-SE
completed an update on its 2003
report on the Saudi curriculum. Its findings are striking:
Significant progress has yet to be made, in stark contrast
with the Arabian kingdom’s effort to present itself
as a leading moderate power in the Middle East and the proponent
of the 2002 Arab peace initiative.
- IMPACT-SE's Report
on Palestinian Textbooks receives Worldwide Coverage
June 3, 2008
IMPACT-SE's Director of Research Dr. Arnon Groiss presented
its latest report -- "Palestinian
Textbooks: from Arafat to Abbas and Hamas" -- at Jerusalem's
Media Central, to 18 journalists of the international press,
as well as Israeli and Palestinian peace activists, on June
3, 2008. Following the presentation, detailing the concluding
analysis of the seven-year Palestinian Authority schoolbook
publication project, IMPACT-SE Chairman Dr. Yohanan Manor
joined in a lively question and answer session, which spilled
over into informal discussions, long after the presentation
had ended. Associated Press Correspondent Diaa
Hadid's coverage of the event was picked up by over 120
media outlets worldwide, including the International
Herald Tribune, The Washington Post, The
Los Angeles Times, The Jerusalem Post and
Fox News, to name a few. It is worthwhile noting
that the response to the report by the spokesman for Palestinian
Authority Prime Minister Dr. Salam Fayyad included a "call
for tolerance" in PA textbooks -- resonating one of the
principal goals of IMPACT-SE. (See: "Report:
Palestinian textbooks portray Jews badly," Associated
Press, June 4, 2008)
- IMPACT-SE's Report on Iranian Textbooks Discussed on
Iranian VOA Program
March 25, 2008
IMPACT-SE's Researcher Shayan Arya participated in an hour
long discussion on the popular Persian program "Round Table,"
produced by Voice of America (VOA), regarding the Iranian
school curriculum and IMPACT-SE's
report. Dr. Saeed Paivandi of Paris-8 University, who
just published a similar report regarding Iran's educational
system under the Islamic regime for the Freedom House, also
participated.
- AJC-CMIP
Report: "Scant Progress in Revising Palestinian Textbooks"
March 20, 2008 (pdf, 28 kb)
Seven years after the Palestinian Authority began publishing
textbooks for use in West Bank and Gaza schools, there still
is no recognition of the State of Israel and no advocacy
of peace with it. Instead, the textbooks promote violent
struggle, while hateful descriptions of Jews and the West
remain prevalent.
- Analysis:
"Palestinian Textbooks: From Arafat to Abbas and Hamas"
Dr. Arnon Groiss - March 2008 (pdf, 693 kb)
This is our concluding analysis of the seven-year schoolbook
publication project, which took place in the Palestinian
Authority until 2006. It is based on the six
reports issued by IMPACT-SE (formerly CMIP) since 1998,
including our recent draft report on schoolbooks for grades
11 and 12. It examines the underlying principles in PA's
attitude to the Other and to peace in the Middle East, which
are revealed in the books. It also attempts to determine
whether a shift took place in this respect during the publication
process, as a result of the major political changes in the
Palestinian Authority. Briefly, it concludes that some improvement
was noticeable in the schoolbooks published under Chairman
Mahmoud Abbas, following the death of Yassir Arafat, but
the older, uncompromising approach reappears under the Hamas-led
government.
- Discussion Panel on "Iranian Textbooks: Preparing Iran’s
Children for Global Jihad"
Hudson Institute, Washington, DC, March 10, 2008
As debates rage about Iran’s nuclear intentions, educational
textbooks may serve as one of the more candid guides for
discerning this regime’s worldview and ideology. IMPACT-SE
researchers, Arnon Groiss and Shayan Arya, covered the Iranian
report’s detailed findings and discussed the implications
for the United States and the rest of the international
community.
Supporting document: PowerPoint
Presentation (pdf, 1.23 mb)
- "Attitudes toward Jews in schoolbooks issued
by the PA Ministry of Endowments & Religious Affairs"
Briefing, Jerusalem, Jan. 8, 2008
Eradicating incitement from Palestinian schools has been
a central theme in negotiations since the Oslo accords.
President Bush himself has demanded that educators "Teach
values and moral responsibility in schools." In light
of President Bush's visit to Israel and the Palestinian
Authority, IMPACT-SE is hosting this briefing to examine
religious textbooks for 7th-12th grade students in the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip.
Supporting documents:
2007
-
Special Interview
with Dr. Arnon Groiss: "Iran Educates Children to 'Seek
Martyrdom'"
CBN News, Dec. 19, 2007
During Iran's war with Iraq in the 1980s, Ayatollah Khomeini sent thousands
of Iranian children directly into minefields. He promised that they'd see
heaven as their reward. Today's Iranian leadership is quite unpopular with
its growing younger generation -- the Mullahs are attempting to reclaim
this group one textbook at at a time... (click
here to see the video)
- "Jihadist
indoctrination in the schools" (pdf 14 kb)
Washington Times, by Nir Boms, Dec. 17, 2007
A new U.S. intelligence assessment suggests that Iran may have halted its
nuclear weapons program in 2003 and that its weapons program remains on hold.
This revelation has created much consternation in Congress on both sides
of the aisle...
- "Clouds
Over Annapolis" (pdf, 21 kb)
FrontPage Magazine, Nov. 28, 2007
Article using CMIP's studies to demonstrate the importance of education reform
as "not just a key factor for Israel and the Palestinians, but also
for the Arab countries that are participating in the Conference as well."
- Arabs
and Palestinians in Israeli School Textbooks. Changing the Perception
of the “Other” (pdf, 218 kb) - November 2007
This article by Dr. Yohanan Manor was published in Israel on Israel,
by Michel Korinman and John Laughland, Vallentine Mitchell & Co Ltd (12
Nov 2007). The present analysis is based on the findings of two surveys carried
out by CMIP on 500 Israeli school textbooks that were in use in the school
years 1999-2000 and 2001-2002. On one hand, the results confirm other researchers'
observation of a radical turning point that occurred in the middle of the
80s, and, on the other, they surpass them in highlighting an active preparation
for coexistence with the Arabs and the Palestinians.
- State
Sponsored Child Abuse in Iran: Iran’s violations of the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (pdf, 155 kb)
By Shayan Arya and Nir Boms - November 7, 2007
As this paper shows, Iran is committing serious violations of the Convention
on the Rights
of the Child while cynically remaining a signatory. It has an intricate system
of legislation
that enables the government to veto its own constitution that secures children’s
rights. It is
endangering children by encouraging them to seek death and is instilling
in them hatred
toward different cultures and religions via its education curriculum.
- "Orwellian
'New-Speak', Iranian Style" - June 26, 2007
This article was composed for The Henry Jackson Society, by Nir Boms, Vice
President of the Center for Freedom in the Middle East. It deals with the
alarming findings of recent research on Iranian school textbooks.
- "Palestinian
School Books: Educating New Generations in Hate and Jihad?" -
May 15, 2007
CMIP has monitored the seven-year process, examining the attitude expressed
in the books to the "other" and to peace. The findings are extremely
worrying: The PA textbooks do not educate for peace with Israel. Rather,
they promote the ideal of a violent struggle for liberation against Israel
in its integrality.
- "Do recent Palestinian
schoolbooks eliminate Israel from the Middle East?" -
April 2007
This is a letter composed by CMIP chairman, Dr. Yohanan Manor, in response
to a debate held on Fox News on April 4, 2007, between Mr. Steve A. Emerson,
Executive Director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, and Ms. Diana
Buttu, Former Legal Advisor to the PLO, on the subject of Palestinian and
Israeli school textbooks.
- Response to Journal
du Mardi - April 2007 (English - Français)
This is a letter composed by CMIP chairman, Dr. Yohanan Manor, in response
to an article on Israeli school textbooks published in the Belgian periodical Journal
du Mardi (March/April 2007.)
- CMIP Presents
its Report on Iran in Europe - Jan. 30 - Feb. 8, 2007
Between January 30 and February 8, CMIP's chairman, Dr.
Yohanan Manor, and its director of research, Dr. Arnon Groiss,
presented the findings of CMIP's report on Iranian school
textbooks in several major cities in Europe.
- Testimony of
an Iranian Woman: Ms. Ghazal Omid - Feb. 8, 2007
On February 8, 2007, Ms. Ghazal Omid--Human Rights, Women Rights and political
activist, author of Living in Hell, and a Shi'a Islam scholar--presented
her testimony at the British House of Commons, as an Iranian woman who had
experienced the Iranian educational system. This is the contents of her testimony.
- "Iran's
Global War Curriculum" (pdf, 323 kb) - Jan. 10, 2007
This is an article published by Dr. Arnon Groiss, in Geopolitical Affairs,
Spring 2007 (Vol.1, No.1). It attempts to present an outline of the Iranian
worldview and agenda, based on CMIP's study of 95 school textbooks of all
grades published in 2004 and 20 teacher’s guides published mostly since
2000. English (pdf,
323 kb) - French (pdf,
2.49 mb) - German (pdf,
2.48 mb)
2006
- "Does
Iran have something in store?" (pdf, 50 kb) - Aug.
8, 2006
An article by Bernard Lewis, cited from the Wall Street Journal, on
the horrifying implications of the fanatical ideology of the present
rule in Iran.
2005
- January 2005 Newsletter (pdf,
172 kb)
Observations by CMIP on the Recommendations by IPCRI for Palestinian
Textbook Reform
2004
- February 2004 Newsletter (pdf, 128
kb)
Synopsis of a paper submitted to the Subcommittee
on the Middle East, of the Political Committee of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, October 24, 2003 in Paris, on: "Suppression
of provocative language and incitements to hatred and violence in
Israeli and Palestinian school textbooks and the media."
- August 2004 Newsletter (pdf,
128 kb)
The French version of our report on Saudi Arabia was published
in September by Berg International, Paris. Included in the report
is
a preface written by Antoine Sfeir. The report by CMIP entitled
"The West, Christians and Jews in Saudi Arabian Schoolbooks"
was released
in September, through the initiative of CMIP-France, by Berg
International, a leading publishing house in the fields of secularism
and prejudice.
The report is introduced to the French-speaking public by Antoine
Sfeir, one of the leading experts in the Arab world. It has
been translated into English for this newsletter.
2003
- January 2003 Newsletter (pdf,
154 kb)
UNESCO convened a meeting of experts to assist in defining its policy
with regard to the reform, revision and development of textbooks
and learning materials, with a view towards more effective ways of
fostering peace, human rights, mutual understanding and dialogue.
Some sixty participants, including twenty experts in the field, as
well as representatives of international and regional organizations
attended the meeting.
- March 2003 Newsletter (pdf,
117 kb)
Our report, "The West, Christians and Jews in Saudi Arabian
Schoolbooks," published jointly by CMIP and the American Jewish
Committee, was released in the United States at the beginning of
February 2003,
including
a well-attended briefing on Capitol Hill, and meetings at the State
Department.
- October 2003 Newsletter (pdf,
92 kb)
CMIP was invited by MEP Frederique Ries to give a presentation at
a seminar for MEPs and their aides on its recently released report
on Saudi School textbooks in Brussels in June 2003.
- December
2003 Newsletter (pdf, 144
kb)
A working paper to an ad-hoc working group on direct budgetary assistance
to the Palestinian Authority, under the auspices of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Budgets and Committee on Budgetary
Control of the European Parliament. The newsletter is a detailing
of the questions asked by the MEPs in attendance and the responses
provided by CMIP.
2002
- May 2002 Newsletter (pdf,
109 kb)
School curricula and textbooks reveal what societies wish to instill
in the young generations. They are a major factor in contributing
to the future opinions of those being educated today. A comparison
of Palestinian and Israeli school textbooks has shown that in the
last decade there has been a serious effort on the part of the Israelis
to educate the youth to accept the implications of the peace process,
whereas the Palestinian school textbooks reveal a considerable regression
from their mid-1990s position.
- August 2002 Newsletter (pdf, 178
kb)
The purpose of this newsletter is to present the different, and
at times contradictory, findings between a report prepared by
CMIP
on PNA school textbooks and those of three other reports produced
in the last two years. A comparison of the reports reveals that
the different criteria used by each researcher in his examination
of
the book is the basis for the disparity in the interpretations
of their content.
2001
- April 2001 Newsletter (pdf,
112 kb)
"Europe's Financial Support:
Europe's inability to ensure that its financial support serves the
cause of peace," by Dr. Yohanan Manor, CMIP Vice-Chairman.
- October 2001 Newsletter (pdf,
104 kb)
Dispelling Some Myths:
On October 12, 2001, an article appeared in the Dutch Jewish
Weekly,
written by Ran Hacohen, raising six main contentions. This
is CMIP's response.
2000
- June
2000 (I) Newsletter (pdf,
90 kb)
"CMIP's Newest Report at the Israeli Knesset:" The Knesset
Education Committee, after hearing the report from CMIP, adopted
a unanimous resolution condemning the hatred found in Arab schoolbooks.
- June 2000 (II) Newsletter (pdf,
104 kb)
"Stereotypes in Palestinian Textbooks:"
The following CMIP research paper was presented by CMIP's Director
of Research, Itamar Marcus, at the symposium sponsored by the Truman
Institute of the Hebrew University, entitled: "'We' and 'Them'
in Israeli and Palestinian Collective Memory."
- September 2000 Newsletter (pdf,
107 kb)
"Images of Arabs and Islam in Israeli Textbooks:"
This newsletter is a synopsis of CMIP's research paper,
presented by CMIP's Project Director of Israeli Textbooks, Amos
Yovel, at
the symposium sponsored by the Truman Institute of the Hebrew
University, entitled: "'We' and 'Them' in Israeli and Palestinian
Collective Memory."
- November 2000 Newsletter (pdf,
102 kb)
"The New Palestinian Authority School Textbooks:"
CMIP has found that the new Palestinian schoolbooks make no attempt
to educate for peace and coexistence with Israel. Indeed, the
opposite is true. The main findings of the PA
books are presented in this newsletter.
1999
- April 1999 Newsletter (pdf,
105 kb)
Senators and Congressmen condemn Palestinian Authority schoolbooks:
In March 1999, a group of 50 Senators and Congressmen petitioned
President Clinton to make the problem of incitement to hatred in
the PA media, and especially in the education of youth, an issue
of prime importance.
1998
- September 1998 Newsletter (pdf,
113 kb)
Following the completion of CMIP's report on the PA textbooks,
CMIP presented its findings in Washington to members of
Congress and the U.S. Administration.
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