WRITTEN QUESTION E-3652/00 by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission. EU funding of the Palestinian media.
Date: 2000-11-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU aid, Palestine, antisemitism, educational system, school textbook

6.6.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 163 E/181

2. What steps have been taken to monitor the proper allocation of funds and to what extent, if any, have
EU officials or representatives of the Member States been associated with the drafting of school
curricula?

3.

Is such aid conditional upon observance by the beneficiaries of fundamental rights as well as the Oslo
and Camp David agreements?

The Commission is asked to answer these questions in detail and with due urgency.

(cid:129) Teaching handbook (cid:145)Contemporary history of Arabs and the World(cid:146), pp. 12, 13, 152 and 155.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Contemporary history of Arabs and the World(cid:146), pp. 92, 123, 120, 121, 123.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Arab modern history and contemporary issues(cid:146), second part, tenth level, pp. 48, 49, 50.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Literary texts(cid:146), eighth level, pp. 97, 103.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Palestinian national education(cid:146), third level, pp. 14, 15, 23.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Our Arab language(cid:146), fifth level, pp. 64, 66, 67, 69, 70.

(cid:129) Teaching handbook (cid:145)Our Arab language(cid:146), second level, p. 188.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), ninth level, pp. 78, 79, 87, 181, 182.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), fourth level, second part, p. 67.

(cid:129) (cid:145)Islamic education(cid:146), seventh level, pp. 108, 125.

(2001/C 163 E/206)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3643/00

by Rijk van Dam (EDD) to the Commission

(17 November 2000)

Subject: European assistance for publication of Palestinian school textbooks

The Palestinian Authority has been able to publish its own teaching materials for the first time. Publication
has been made possible by assistance from the European Union and applies to textbooks for the first and
sixth grades (children in age groups 6-7 and 11-12). The Italian consul, Gianni Ghisi, was responsible for
organising European assistance. Despite an agreement that the consul would examine the text of the books
before publication, he was not allowed to inspect them. The books contain anti-Semitic texts. The history
and geography books contain maps that represent the whole of Israel as Palestine and a number of
passages that call on Palestinian children to liberate all of Jerusalem and all of Palestine.

How has the Commission responded to the Palestinian Authority for having broken an agreement by
failing to allow the text of the books to be inspected before publication?

Does the Commission not consider that it must insist on the anti-Semitic passages being removed from the
books?

What action has the Commission taken to prevent a repeat of this situation, and is it prepared to allow
agreements to be broken, or will any assistance payments made in such cases be claimed back?

(2001/C 163 E/207)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3652/00

by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission

(23 November 2000)

Subject: EU funding of the Palestinian media

Part of the funding that the EU grants to the Palestinian Authority is intended to finance the Palestinian
media. These funds are intended to contribute to the creation of an open and plural information system

C 163 E/182

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6.6.2001

and hence to the establishment of a democratic Palestinian society. However, throughout the latest crisis in
the peace process several Palestinian media organisations have issued calls, some designed to stir up hatred,
to fight Jewish people in the streets. They have thus played a crucial role in the escalation of the
murderous clashes of the past few weeks.

Moreover,
further EU financing is geared towards supporting the teaching and education sectors.
According to the results of a survey conducted by the (cid:145)Centre for monitoring the impact of peace(cid:146),
however, the texts used in Palestinian schools contain a huge number of anti-Semitic references. Does the
Commission consider it acceptable that EU funding is being used to foster feelings of hatred towards the
Israeli people? What measures has the Commission taken or prepared and what mechanisms does it plan
to introduce to prevent the EU funding granted to the Palestinian Authority from being misused in order
to instigate violence and hatred towards the Jewish people, foment anti-Semitism and, ultimately, under-
mine the peace process in the Middle East?

Joint answer
to Written Questions P-3612/00, P-3643/00 and E-3652/00
given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(12 December 2000)

The Commission rejects any attempt to use the educational system as a vehicle to promote intolerance and
to hinder the efforts achieved so far by the different parties committed with peace in the Middle East. It
this particularly regrettable that school children may be exposed to intolerance and mutual incomprehen-
sion in any of the parties involved in the conflict.

None of the projects financed by the Commission in support of the Palestinian Authority have supported
the production or distribution of school textbooks. Furthermore, no request has ever been made by the
Palestinian Authority to finance curricula and textbooks. Assistance to the educational system has focused
mainly on infrastructures, equipment for schools and school libraries and direct assistance for current
school expenses (salaries, dining rooms, etc.). As regards projects financed bilaterally by Member States, the
Commission has no right of monitoring or interference, and therefore the relevant Member States may
have to be addressed individually.

The Commission has always focused its assistance on promoting a culture of peace, tolerance and human
rights in the Middle East. In this regard, Article 2 of the Community-Palestinian interim association
agreement clearly states that mutual co-operation between the parties (cid:145)has to be based on the respect of
democratic principles and fundamental human rights as set out in the universal declaration on human
rights, which guides their internal and international policy (cid:133)(cid:146). In this context, the Commission has
financed in recent years several projects aiming at encouraging and fostering dialogue between Israeli and
Palestinian youth such as encounters to promote cross-cultural dialogue and joint youth leadership
training.

(2001/C 163 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3614/00

by Johannes Swoboda (PSE) to the Commission

(15 November 2000)

Subject: Swiss firms(cid:146) refusal to supply spare parts to clockmakers and watchmakers in EU Member States

1. What might be the reason for the refusal by Swiss firms, despite having offices in certain EU Member
States, to supply spare parts to clockmakers and watchmakers, even if they do not have special contracts
with those firms?

2. What tangible steps does the Commission propose to take, on the basis of existing provisions, in this
connection?