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Abbas criticised for including his sayings in Palestinian curriculum

May 11, 2019 at 12:16 pm

Palestinian student Mohammed Abu Hussain (front 2nd R) from Gaza, who lost his leg after being shot by an Israeli sniper during “Great March of Return” demonstrations, attends a class with his crutches in Gaza City, Gaza on September 03, 2018 [Ali Jadallah / Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas is facing criticism after a decision to include his sayings in the Palestinian school curriculum.

On Thursday, the PA’s Ministry of Education in the occupied West Bank organised an official event to launch a book about Abbas, his positions and his famous sayings, Arab 48 reported yesterday.

The ministry decided to officially include this book – “Our President is Our Role Model” – as part of part of the Palestinian school curriculum.

A campaign of criticism has since plagued social media, where Abbas has been described as dictator following in the footsteps of other Arab leaders, notably Libya’s former prime minister, Muammar Gaddafi, who issued the “Green Book” that imposed his ideas on Libyans.

Some social media users commented on the PA’s newly-launched book by writing: “Will this book include Abbas’s ideas about security cooperation [with Israel] and criticizing resistance?”

Prominent Palestinian writer Yasser Al-Zaatra, who is based in Jordan, wrote on Twitter: “PA’s education ministry issued a book […] that includes quotes from the books of the Palestinian president. Will this book include his ideas about security cooperation, degrading resistance, refugees?! Oh people, we want some logic!”

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