PMW Bulletin Dec. 26, 2011
US criticizes Palestinian Authority double talk
http://palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=6023
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
p:+972 2 625 4140 e: pmw@palwatch.org
f: +972 2 624 2803 w: www.palwatch.org
Following Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of Hitler glorification in the
Palestinian magazine Zayzafuna funded by UNESCO, UNESCO's funding was
condemned internationally.
The US Ambassador to UNESCO condemned the PA for its duplicity and called on
UNESCO to act:
"UNESCO must let the Palestinian Authority know that this double-speak,
using a message of peace for the international community, and another
message for domestic consumption that teaches hatred, is unacceptable. I
count on you [Madame Irinia Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO] to
investigate whether UNESCO funding is, in fact, still being used to sponsor
this Palestinian magazine; and, if so, to take the appropriate steps to end
the international community's financing of such hatred through this
organization."
[US Ambassador to UNESCO, David T. Killion, Dec. 22, 2011,
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unesco/182433/pdfs/Amb-Killion-Letter-to-UNESCO-on-Zayzafuna-12-22-11.pdf,
http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unesco]
PMW welcomes the US Ambassador's clear reference to Palestinian Authority
duplicity, which PMW has been documenting for years.
Responding to the US Ambassador, UNESCO stated:
"UNESCO is shocked and dismayed by the content of the February issue [of
Zayzafuna], and has requested more detailed information and clarification
from the editors of the magazine and to Palestinian Authority. UNESCO
strongly deplores and condemns the reproduction of such inflammatory
statements in a magazine associated with UNESCO's name and mission and will
not provide any further support to the publication in question."
[UNESCO, www.unesco.org , Dec. 23, 2011]
The full statements follow below, including statements from the
Anti-Defamation League, AJC and B'nai B'rith.
Earlier this week, PMW reported on the Wiesenthal Center's condemnation of
UNESCO's funding and the Palestinian magazine itself.
A complete analysis of a one-year period of the Zayzafuna magazine appears
in PMW's new book Deception: Betraying the Peace Process. Purchase it here.
US Ambassador Killion Condemns Anti-Semitic Publication and calls on UNESCO
to Block Funding
UNITED STATES MISSION TO UNESCO, Dec. 22, 2011,
THE AMBASSADOR:
Dear Madame Director-General,
I am writing to you to draw your attention to several disturbing news
stories. A group called Palestinian Media Watch has reported that the
educational children's magazine, Zayzafuna, "includes terms glorifying
jihad," and references an essay by a teenage Palestinian girl, published in
February 2011, applauding Hitler for murdering Jews. According to these
reports, UNESCO supplied some funding to Zayzafuna. If this is true, this
funding must stop immediately.
Madame Director-General, in your speech on December 131h, in the presence of
Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, you said, "Membership of
UNESCO goes beyond raising the flag. It comes with rights and
responsibilities. It means sharing values - the values of tolerance, respect
for others." You also said that you "...dream of joint educational textbooks
on the history of shared ties to the land where Israelis and Palestinians
live." If you believe, as you told the audience, that "...Human dignity is
our starting point and the measure of our success," then you must take
action immediately to let the Palestinians know that the kind of
anti-Semitic, anti-Israel venom their educational system and media is
introducing to young Palestinians is not the way forward towards tolerance,
respect and peace.
UNESCO must let the Palestinian Authority know that this double-speak, using
a message of peace for the international community, and another message for
domestic consumption that teaches hatred, is unacceptable.
I count on you to investigate whether UNESCO funding is, in fact, still
being used to sponsor this Palestinian magazine; and, if so, to take the
appropriate steps to end the international community's financing of such
hatred through this Organization.
Sincerely,
David T. Killion
[http://photos.state.gov/libraries/unesco/182433/pdfs/Amb-
Killion-Letter-to-UNESCO-on-Zayzafuna-12-22-11.pdf]
UNESCO statement on Palestinian children's magazine, Zayzafouna
Dec. 23, 2011 - UNESCO PRESS
UNESCO's attention has been drawn to the February 2011 issue of the
Palestinian children's magazine Zayzafouna. This magazine is published by an
NGO of the same name under the patronage of the Palestinian National
Commission for UNESCO, which is the national body set up by the Palestinian
Authority to facilitate its work with the Organization. The February issue
features a story written by a 10-year-old girl in which Hitler is quoted by
her as stating that he "killed [the Jews] so you would all know that they
are a nation who wreak havoc on Earth". While UNESCO upholds freedom of
expression as an integral part of its mandate, the inclusion in this
publication of a statement that may be interpreted as an apology of the
holocaust is contrary to UNESCO's constitutional mandate and values. It is
totally unacceptable.
UNESCO supported the publication of three issues of the Zayzafouna Magazine
six months after the February 2011 issue. The support was provided for these
issues following agreement with the editors that they would focus on
building greater appreciation amongst Palestinians for their heritage and
culture. They were to open the way for positive dialogue aimed at overcoming
the consequences of the Middle East conflict, and to fight against
stereotypes that may be conducive to violence. It was UNESCO's intention to
foster a positive view of Palestinian heritage based on the values of
tolerance and UNESCO's mandate of building peace in the minds of men and
women. This vision guides all of UNESCO's activities, and we urge all
partners to work in this direction.
UNESCO is shocked and dismayed by the content of the February issue, and has
requested more detailed information and clarification from the editors of
the magazine and the Palestinian Authority.
UNESCO strongly deplores and condemns the reproduction of such inflammatory
statements in a magazine associated with UNESCO's name and mission and will
not provide any further support to the publication in question.
The Organization, which is deeply committed to the development and promotion
of education about the Holocaust, disassociates itself from any statement
that is counter to its founding principles and goal of building tolerance in
the full respect for human rights and human dignity.
[http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/unesco_statement_on_palestinian_childrens_magazine_zayzafouna/]
ADL Commends UNESCO For Withdrawing Funding From Palestinian Magazine; Calls
For Further Action
ADL, Dec. 23, 2011
New York, NY, December 23, 2011 ... The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today
commended the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) for withdrawing funding from a Palestinian magazine,
which featured an article glorifying Hitler and the killing of Jews, and
called on "the agency to publicly condemn similar manifestations of
anti-Semitism in publications across the Middle East."
"We applaud UNESCO for taking strong action against this Palestinian
magazine for publishing an anti-Semitic article," said Abraham H. Foxman,
ADL National Director. "Unfortunately, this magazine is not unusual. There
are horrible writings and caricatures that demonize Jews daily in numerous
Arab and Muslim government-affiliated media located in UNESCO member
countries. We again ask the agency to publicly condemn similar
manifestations of anti-Semitism in publications across the Middle East."
In a letter sent to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, ADL mentioned its
previous letter to UNESCO documenting anti-Semitism in the Arab media, and
repeated its request for the agency to take action.
UNESCO announced its decision to cut funding to the magazine in a letter to
David Killion, the U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO, who requested an investigation
into the agency's financing of the publication. ADL also commended
Ambassador Killion for his involvement.
Palestinian Media Watch translated and drew attention to the offensive
article in Zayzafuna, a monthly educational magazine that is sponsored by
the Palestinian National Committee for Education, Culture and Sciences.
[http://www.adl.org/PresRele/UnitedNations_94/6204_94.htm]
Cut-Off of UNESCO Funding to Palestinian Magazine Welcome; B'nai B'rith
Praises U.S. Mission's Response
B'nai B'rith, Dec. 22, 2011
B'nai B'rith welcomes the cut-off of funding from the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to the
Palestinian children's magazine Zayzafuna after a deeply disturbing story
came to light that glorified Hitler. We also praise the U.S. mission to
UNESCO for taking swift, strong action in its condemnation of this hateful
publication, one which UNESCO should never have funded in the first place.
Since August 2011, UNESCO has financially supported the magazine. Once this
hateful message was revealed, UNESCO issued a statement saying: "UNESCO is
shocked and dismayed by the content...UNESCO strongly deplores and condemns
the reproduction of such inflammatory statements in a magazine associated
with UNESCO's name and mission and will not provide any further support to
the publication in question."
In a statement today from the U.S. mission condemning the story's blatant
anti-Semitic nature, Ambassador David T. Killion, U.S. permanent
representative to UNESCO said: "The decision that UNESCO took today to
condemn this magazine's hateful content will, I hope, be a strong signal to
the Palestinian leadership that its messages to the international community
and the messages it teaches to its young must be the same, and must move
towards peace."
As reported in the Palestinian Media Watch's new book "Deception: Betraying
the Peace Process," the Palestinian children's magazine Zayzafuna included
an essay by a teenage girl who portrays Hitler as a role model. In her
dream, the girl asks Hitler, "You're the one who killed the Jews?" Hitler
says: "Yes. I killed them so you would all know that they are a nation which
spreads destruction all over the world. And what I ask of you is to be
resilient and patient, concerning the suffering that Palestine is
experiencing at their hands." The girl responds: "Thanks for the advice."
While the Palestinian Authority touts its readiness to be a member of this
U.N. agency, it simultaneously violates the organization's founding
principles through appalling actions like this magazine article.
"We praise U.S. mission officials for swiftly bringing this to the attention
of UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and welcome the U.N. agency's
announcement that it will cut off the funding to this publication," said
B'nai B'rith International President Allan J. Jacobs. "This is yet another
promotion of hate-filled messages that only serve to undermine the peace
process. Not only is the story itself despicable, but equally deeply
disturbing is the fact that the magazine found it a suitable message to
publish."
B'nai B'rith also calls upon the director-general to fully investigate the
situation to ensure that procedures are in place to prevent a repetition of
such hateful behavior.
"This is an extreme example of contemporary anti-Semitism. Notwithstanding
the promises Palestinians made 18 years ago when they signed the Oslo
Accords, incitement against Israel and Jews continues. UNESCO should never
have funded this to begin with, and we urge it to look into all other
Palestinian publications that they may be funding," said B'nai B'rith
International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin.
B'nai B'rith, accredited as a non-governmental organization at the United
Nations since 1947, swiftly raised this issue with officials of both the
U.S. mission and UNESCO as soon as we became aware of the article in the
magazine.
[http://www.bnaibrith.org/latest_news/UNESCOPalestinianMagazine122211.cfm]
AJC Praises End to UNESCO Support for Anti-Semitic Palestinian Youth
Magazine
AJC, Dec. 22, 2011
December 22, 2011 -- New York -- AJC welcomed the decision by UNESCO
Director-General Irina Bokova to cut off the international organization's
funding of Zayzafuna, a children's magazine filled with anti-Semitic
material that is produced and distributed in the Palestinian Authority.
AJC leaders, who have met with Bokova at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, as
well as in New York and Washington, contacted her today to voice concern
about news reports that Zayzafuna has been receiving financial support from
the international cultural and educational organization.
"The ongoing failure of the Palestinian Authority to reform its textbooks
and other educational materials regarding Israel and Jews is a huge obstacle
to achieving a culture of peace," said AJC Executive Director David Harris.
"Children taught to hate at an early age too often live lives filled with
hate."
Bokova's action to cease support for the magazine came in response to a
letter from the U.S. ambassador to UNESCO, David T. Killion.
"You must take action immediately to let the Palestinians know that the kind
of anti-Semitic, anti-Israel venom their educational system and media is
introducing to young Palestinians is not the way forward towards tolerance,
respect and peace," Ambassador Killion wrote in his letter today to Bokova.
Harris saluted Ambassador Killion, who also pointed out that Bokova had told
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that "membership of UNESCO goes beyond
raising the flag" at the organization's headquarters. "It means sharing
values -- the values of tolerance, respect for others," Bokova said. UNESCO
member states voted to accept the PA as a member in October.
"Ideally, of course, UNESCO would have recognized sooner that its funds were
being misused to promote such vile hatred of Jews," said Harris. "Still, we
are pleased that Director-General Bokova, once alerted, moved decisively. We
trust that, against this revealing backdrop, UNESCO will immediately take
all necessary further steps to investigate how its funding of Palestinian
projects is, in fact, being used."
[http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijIT
I2PHKoG&b=2818289&ct=11558063¬oc=1]
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