“We express disappointment with the decision to disburse the funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) without applying any conditionality or accountability for the problematic PA school curricula, which has consistently failed to comply with the UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, co-existence and non-violence.

“We recall that the Commission’s strategy on Combating anti-Semitism notes that EU external funds may not be misallocated to activities that incite hatred and violence. Furthermore, for the last four years, the European Parliament has been at the forefront calling for Palestinian schoolbooks to be in line with the UNESCO standards and has strongly condemned the hate speech, violence and anti-Semitism that continue to be found in the PA curricula.

“In light of this, we welcome the announcement by the Commission that it will finance a second study on Palestinian textbooks, as a follow-up from its earlier funded study by the Georg Eckert Institute, which noted deeply problematic content in Palestinian school curricula, including anti-Semitism and the glorification of violence.

“The Commission can be assured of our continued support in seeking accountability and a reform of Palestinian school curricula, as there can never be any tolerance for anti-Semitism, incitement and glorification of terrorism.”

ECR Co-Chairman, MEP Raffaele Fitto

ECR Shadow on the Palestinian Authority, MEP Charlie Weimers

ECR Shadow on Israel, MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen