Today’s Sunday Times and Daily Mail report that UK aid money is spent by the Palestinian Authority on textbooks that could incite hatred against Israel.
As International Development Minister Alistair Burt has set out, British support is helping around 25,000 young Palestinians go to school each year.
The UK government strongly condemns all forms of violence and incitement to violence. We have a regular dialogue with both the Palestinian Authority and the Government of Israel in which we reiterate the need for both sides to prepare their populations for peaceful coexistence, including by promoting a more positive portrayal of each other.
DFID support to the Palestinian Authority contributes to the salaries of vetted teachers and education public servants in the West Bank.
Our partnership with the Palestinian Authority includes a commitment from the Palestinian leadership to adhere to the principle of non-violence and to tackle language and actions that could incite violence or hatred. We continue to urge them to uphold this principle.
The article references the IMPACT-SE report and the claims regarding inflammatory content in textbooks. The government was very concerned at some of the findings of the report and has met with IMPACT-SE to investigate the issue further.
DFID is planning to conduct a thorough assessment of the Palestinian curriculum and evidence and if we find evidence of material which incites violence, we will take action.
DFID support to the public sector in the West Bank provides vital help to both the health and education sectors.
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