Parliament TV
CFI Parliamentary Vice-Chair John Howell OBE MP in Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Questions this week urged that any further UK support to Palestinian education should be dependent on a “zero tolerance” approach to Antisemitism in the curriculum, following the UK’s confirmation that it is no longer giving money directly to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Mr Howell noted the recent announcement that UK no longer funds Palestinian teachers to draft and deliver its problematic curriculum.
He asked: “Will he ensure that any further UK support to Palestinian education is conditional on a zero-tolerance approach to Antisemitism?” Responding, Middle East Minister Rt. Hon. James Cleverly MP said: “I assure my hon. Friend that the UK Government take a zero-tolerance approach to Antisemitism, wherever it is”.
He added: “The reduction in funding to the Palestinian Authority was in direct response to the official development assistance prioritisation review, which was itself in response to the economic constraints driven by covid. We do, however, continue to support the Palestinians through the UNRWA. We will ensure that, as we have done, we continue to press for that education curriculum to be devoid of any examples of Antisemitism”.
Earlier this year, the long-awaited EU review into the Palestinian Authority’s school curriculum was published, confirming numerous examples of Antisemitism being taught to Palestinian children.
