Canada deepens probe into UNRWA's anti-Israel school textbook materials

Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was forced to answer for it in the Canadian Parliament. Canada has committed C$90 million in the last year to UNWRA.

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 13:58

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada February 24, 2021. (photo credit: REUTERS/BLAIR GABLE) — Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period, as efforts continue to help slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada February 24, 2021.

(photo credit: REUTERS/BLAIR GABLE)

A February report by IMPACT-se shows that educational materials for Palestinian students have not been changed to be less anti-Israel since UNRWA promised it would tweak them back in November, when the UN organization in charge of Palestinian relief came under investigation for the materials.

Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was forced to answer for it in the Canadian Parliament. Canada has committed C$90 million ($72 m.) in the last year to UNRWA.

Since the report, the materials have actually been locked away, "blocking further external scrutiny," the report states.

Conservative MP Marty Morantz raised concerns over the problematic UNRWA-subsidized material being taught to Palestinian children.

Canadians were promised an investigation into the abuse of taxpayer funds at UNRWA. Why isn’t funding being suspended until that investigation is complete? Watch. https://t.co/2IomivVMQf via @YouTube
— Senator Linda Frum (@LindaFrum) February 8, 2021

Morantz quoted some examples, including encouraging Palestinian students to "defend the motherland with blood," and "portraying child-murdering terrorists as heroes," while depicting Israel as the enemy.

Trudeau responded that Canada's "continued presence in UNRWA continues to ensure that the materials and the funds that are vehicled to the Palestinians" are done properly.

"The prime minister just said a moment ago that he'd stand up [against] antisemitism whenever and wherever it occurs," Morantz shot back. "Well, here it is – stand up to it!"

"The fact of the matter is that C$90 million in taxpayers dollars are used to fund UNRWA's indoctrination of children by inciting violence towards Jews."

Other donor countries, including Australia, the UK and Norway, as well as the EU, have openly criticized the unethical content.

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"This government talks about supporting a peaceful two-state solution, yet we see the funding of an agency to push hatred, not peace," concluded Morantz.

IMPACT-se – the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education – is a nonprofit that monitors textbook materials in schools. In their report, they show that the content simply moved online, in the form of "Self-Study Cards" for students in grades one through nine.

1/4 No place for discrimination+incitement to hatred/violence in @UNRWA schools. Local reference to inappropriate pages frm textbooks that were mistakenly distributed during #COVID19 lockdown were quickly replaced with content that adheres to UN values.
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 14, 2021

Examples include teaching instructions for sixth grade girls to prepare for jihad – "the road of glory" – to defend al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the report.

The main argument against UNRWA is that in publishing and circulating these materials, they are contradicting one of the main tenets of the UN Charter – the peaceful resolution of disputes – by encouraging violent resistance instead of teaching non-violent conflict resolution and peacemaking.

For example, wherever maps are involved, Israel is effectively removed, portraying the region as it was during the British Mandate. When Israel is mentioned, is it only as "the Enemy" or "the Israeli occupation," the report explained.