New York Times Covers Palestinian Incitement

In a sampling of the hate propaganda commonly sponsored in their schools, The Times begins its story with:

“Adolf Hitler is quoted on the websites of Palestinian Authority schools. A young girl appears on Palestinian [media], describing Jews as ‘barbaric monkeys, wretched pigs’ and the ‘murderers of Muhammad,’ the [founder of Islam]. Maps on the online page of the Palestinian presidential guards do not show Israel…”

The examples come from a much larger batch published by the Israeli government in its newly released PA Incitement and Culture of Peace Index, which prompted The Times piece.

“The general phenomenon is very clear: They are poisoning Palestinian children with deep hatred of Israel and the Jewish people,” Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, said on Monday, as he showed the presentation to international reporters.

“At the end of the day, let’s assume we’ll be able to resolve all the technical issues, which are extremely complicated. Are we going to get genuine peace, or just a piece of paper?”

It was noted, as well, that the incitement has not let up even after peace talks were resumed.

“If there is any incitement against Israel, this is a forum where they can provide it officially, and we can do the same,” said Majdi Khaldi, a diplomatic adviser to Mahmoud Abbas. “Why do we have to continue just complaints from one to the other? It’s better for all to go to the trilateral committee, and that will solve the whole issue.”

Asked about reviving the committee, Steinitz said Monday that it had been “completely useless” and would not help because the problems were coming from Palestinian government sources, not rogue individuals.

Steinitz said that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had shown  Secretary of State John Kerry some of these examples during a recent meeting in Rome.

“This Palestinian government incitement is rampant,” Netanyahu said at a joint appearance with Kerry when he arrived here on Thursday. “Instead of preparing Palestinians for peace, Palestinian leaders are teaching them to hate Israel.”

The article was welcomed by media watchdog Honest Reporting on Tuesday: “To its credit, The New York Times has published a prominent story on Palestinian incitement,” it said.

This article appeared in print on page 39 of the January 8th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.