The release of the report comes after a group of nearly two-dozen European lawmakers sent a letter to the president of the E.U. Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding the withholding of aid until the incitement and anti-Semitism in P.A. textbooks ends

Report condemns curriculum for teaching antisemitism, incitement to violence, jihad and delegitimization of Israel.

Following report, a cross-party EU parliament group of 22 members send letter to President of EU Commission demanding aid be withheld to the PA.

The leader of the largest EU political party condemned Palestinian textbooks for teaching children to hate Israel and Jews. Criticizes use of EU funds to promote antisemitism.

The Vice Chairman of EU Parliament’s budget affairs committee called for 5% reserve on Palestinian aid.

The EU-commissioned report was completed in February 2021 after years in the making. Was held by EU for months, despite being ready.

The European Union has finally released its much delayed report on Palestinian textbooks, confirming that Palestinian Authority textbooks contain anti-Semitism and incitement to violence.

The report comes after a group of nearly two-dozen European lawmakers sent a letter to the president of the EU. Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding the withholding of aid until such content ends.

“The report has been released after three declarations of the European parliament condemning anti-Semitism and hate in the P.A. curriculum, dozens of questions in parliaments around Europe and the E.U. sitting on the final version for months,” said IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff.

IMPACT-se, a research and policy institute that monitors and analyzes education in the world,   independently assessed the EU report which found that Palestinian textbooks – funded by the EU- contain antisemitism, incite children to hatred and violence and delegitimize the State of Israel.

“While deeply flawed, it states what has been obvious to all for years: that the Palestinian Authority systematically incites over a million children to anti-Semitism, hate and violence every school day. The question remains: Will the E.U. finally take action to condition funding to the Palestinian authority on reforms to the curriculum as the European parliament has demanded?”

According to IMPACT-se, the report “confirms that anti-Semitism, glorification of terrorists and their acts, calls to jihad and martyrdom, negation of Israel’s existence and messages which exacerbate the conflict are present throughout the P.A. curriculum.”

However, the watchdog group said that the E.U. report also has “serious shortcomings” in terms of how it presents its findings and what it missed.

In early June, the German newspaper BILD published findings from the report and asked why they were never publicized. The report was commissioned in 2019 by then-E.U. foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini and examined teaching instructions published by the Palestinian Ministry of Education between 2017 and 2020.

A total of 172 textbooks and curricula for all school levels and for subjects in general education schools were analysed as part of this project funded by the EU on the basis of UNESCO-defined criteria of peace, tolerance and non-violence in education.  The study was carried out by the German Georg Eckert Instititute.

The release of the report comes after a group of nearly two-dozen European lawmakers sent a letter to the president of the E.U. Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding the withholding of aid until the incitement and anti-Semitism in P.A. textbooks ends.

MEP Niclas Herbst, Vice Chairman of the EU Parliament budgetary affairs committee said, “the secrecy of the EU Commission is counterproductive and incomprehensible.” And called for a 5% reserve on EU funding to the PA and UNRWA, stating the withheld funds should be redirected towards NGOs that adhere to UNESCO standards until the PA removes all hate and incitement from its textbooks.

Last month, the leader of largest and most influential EU party (EPP), Manfred Weber, condemned Palestinian textbooks for teaching children to hate Israel and Jews and criticized use of EU funds to promote antisemitism.