Textbook withdrawn after referencing Palestinian resistance as ‘terrorists’

The International School of Choueifat (ISC) in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan have been forced to withdraw textbooks which describe the Palestinian resistance as terrorists, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported yesterday.

Parents complained to the school after spotting exerts of the books said Palestinians are practicing terrorism in the Middle East.

The Qatari ministry of education and higher education visited the school and issued a statement on Twitter, stating: “The books’ contents were found to contradict Qatar’s foreign policy.”

The ministry responded after photographs of a page from the unnamed English-language book were posted on Twitter.

Text from the book.

The school confirmed to Doha News that the book was a Grade 9 history text titled Technology, War and Independence, by Oxford University Press.

All copies of the book were removed and students were reimbursed for its costs, the ministry said, adding that the school was warned to seek approval before using any book.
 

Under the “What is terrorism?” section of the book, the book gave examples of suicide bombings and Palestinian acts of resistance.

This is what they teach 9th grade students at Choueifat School, Bahrain. Absolutely appalling. @MoeBahrain get on this asap! #Palestine🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/NPbAlgGcQb

— Alreem Kamal (@AlreemKamal) October 3, 2016