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Changing The Lens Of Hate

with hatred of Israel, accusing Israel of torturing, mutilating
ithin the repressive clutches of the Palestinian
and killing Palestinians in the name of God." Women dance
Authority, grade school students are taught via text-
books and music videos to hate and kill Jews in def- to a melody reminiscent of an Eastern European lullaby.
The same week this song broke, the Voice of Palestine radio
erence to Allah. Official P.A. maps show all of Israel as occu-
declared
that Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both terrorist cells,
pied Palestine. This anti-Jewish hatred and violence, taught as
would
unite
politically with Abbas' Palestine Liberation
a religious necessity, is manifested in what civilized people
Organization, whose 1974 Strategy of Stages defines a phased
everywhere fear: suicide bombings.
plan for Israel's destruction through diplomacy and violence.
Such indoctrination forces impressionable children as young
"For Israel, it is worrisome that the Islamic extremists, who
as 10 to view life through a distorted and provoking lens.
have continued to amass weapons and stage intermittent ter-
These kids obey their terrorist handlers not because they have
ror attacks, are now officially part of the Palestinian establish-
an inherent hatred of Jews, but out of ignorance: They grow
ment,"
writes Dr. Michael Widlanski, a political communica-
up taught that it's the right thing to do, especially with 72
tion
instructor
at the Rothberg School at Israel's Hebrew
black-eyed virgins "awaiting them in paradise" and up to a
University.
$100,000 martyrdom payout to their struggling families.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency has lost sight
The cause and effect between learned
of its original goal of encouraging Arab states to absorb
hatred and subsequent violence is no acci-
Palestinians displaced by creation of the Jewish state in 1948.
dent. It's premeditated. And it's deplorable.
Instead, it has championed a Palestinian state — ignoring
A published
Palestinian terrorist acts while
report I received
rebuking Israeli defensive strikes.
from a Farmington
Dr. Katzman reminds that the
Hills medical doc-
U.N. General Assembly was
tor affiliated with
founded under principles calling
the Wayne State
ROBERT A. University School
for education systems that promote
SKLAR
understanding, tolerance and
of Pediatrics in
Editor
friendship among all nations and
Detroit gives depth
all racial and religious groups. It
to the discussion
also adopted a set of rights protect-
surrounding the isolation of young
ing kids against physical or mental
students as part of a planned pro-
violence and abuse.
gram of anti-social brainwashing.
"Their brains are now used like
sponges for these prejudicial view-
Getting To The Core
points as opposed to instruments for
Distressing findings fill Dr.
rational moral thought," writes Dr.
Katzman's report. For example,
Gerald Katzman in a March Clinical
Palestinian summer camps teach
Pediatrics article on the psychological
kids to hate, fight and kill the
abuse of teaching hatred to children. A Reuters photo of a Pa lestinian boy in Gaza
Zionist enemy. "A popular game in
dressed
for
Purim"
as
a
suicide
bomber.
The net result of this abuse is a sub-
these camps has been to shoot at a
culture of Palestinian Arabs eager to succumb to terrorist
cardboard replica of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and
recruiting and to the "sacred" belief that Jews, like Christians,
U.S. President George W Bush," Dr. Katzman says.
are infidels not deserving of Islamic acceptance and protec-
Weapons, including guns and explosives, are lightweight
tion.
enough for young children within the West Bank and Gaza
The sixth-grade Palestinian textbook glorifies aiding terror-
Strip to move and use. "Some of these child soldiers," Dr.
ists and becoming a shahia a martyr for Allah. These combat
Katzman says, "have been used in suicide missions. Opposing
support roles dramatically obscure childhood innocence. This
forces have, at times, hesitated to fire on these children and
reality is unconscionable to Western parents, but Palestinian
consequently sealed their own fates."
parents lack the will to rise up against it.
Whatever Sharon and Bush discuss this week in Texas,
If there's any hope that Palestinians have embraced tolerance
nothing will matter in the end if the Palestinian mindset
in the wake of the November death of former P.A. President
breeds Jew hating and turns kids into human bombs isn't
Yasser Arafat, take heed: Leading up to Purim, a Palestinian
obliterated. "The United Nations, through its Committee on
boy dressed up as a suicide bomber during Purim celebrations
the Rights of the Child, would be a logical body to coordinate
at the Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim in Gush Katif in the
this important initiative," says Dr. Katzman.
Gala Strip. Israel had banned Palestinians from entering dur-
I applaud Dr. Katzman's courage to speak up. But I believe
ing the holiday despite new peace overtures by Arafat's succes-
that the Arab-leaning U.N. is incapable of significantly alter-
sor, Mahmoud Abbas. Given the Palestinians' record of glee in
ing the anti-Jewish tide sweeping the Palestinian Authority. In
blowing up Jews on Jewish holidays, the ban had merit.
many ways, it's part of the problem.
Is it folly to think the U.N. could embolden member
The Beat Goes On
nation schools to adopt values education and teach the con-
Mahmoud Abbas must shoulder the blame for not figuring
cepts for healthy moral development? Yes.
out how to banish P.A. textbooks and broadcasts that spew
Yet there's something empowering in the good doctor's call
hate 54 months into the Palestinian reign of terror that has
to immunize children "against the self-destructive influences
left more than 1,000 people dead in Israel and thousands
of learning to hate." Immunizing lies at the core of crushing
more maimed or hurt.
the seeds that spawn Palestinian terror.
"The incitement of hatred continues with new program-
If the U.N. continues to be more useless than useful, civi-
ming on P.A. TV," reports Itamar Marcus, director of the
lized powers around the globe must mobilize behind such a
Jerusalem-based Palestinian Media Watch. 'A cultural pro-
mass immunization to break the lens of terrorist hate. A world
gram introduced the week of March 27 features a song laced
rich with hope will elude us otherwise. El

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Jig

4/14

2005

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