Press Release: New PMW book reveals systematic hate speech, veneration of terror by the PA even during peace process

NEW YORK, December 6, 2011 - Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), an Israeli research institute studying Palestinian society and its leadership through its Arabic language media, today announced the release of Deception: Betraying the Peace Process, a new book describing the systematic hate speech used by the Palestinian Authority (PA) even as they portray themselves to the world as pursuing peace.

At a press conference today, the authors and human rights activists warned that the hate speech and incitement against Israel by PA leaders is the fundamental impediment to achieving peace. In the book, authors Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik document numerous breaches in the PA's commitments to recognize Israel, to cease hate incitement and to reject violence and terror - requirements established by the international community and accepted by the PA.

The book meticulously catalogues hundreds of examples of hate speech, glorification of terrorist murderers and other anti-Israel communication, detailing efforts to spread hate even among school-aged children.

"Well documented, Deception confronts a disturbing discovery; Palestinian texts contain scandalous anti-Semitic pages," said Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. "They incite young children to hate Jews not only in Israel but wherever they live. They must be denounced by all students of history."

"The PA's campaign of hate speech and demonization of Israelis and Jews is a denial of basic human rights and is used to maintain political control at the cost of negotiating for real and lasting peace. This book is important because it is not advocacy but a factual catalogue of public statements and activities showing that the Palestinian leadership teaches its children to hate, to deny Israel's right to exist and to envision a world without Israel," said Robert Bernstein, Chairman of Advancing Human Rights, Founding Chairman Emeritus of Human Rights Watch and Chairman and President of Random House from 1965-1990.

The breadth and impact of the PA's efforts are made chillingly clear in the 269-page book. Examining the totality of the PA's activities and statements during the one-year period beginning with the renewal of the peace process in May 2010 through April 2011, the authors assert that "the peace process has yet to begin; a peace process may never have been intended." The book takes the reader on a journey through hundreds of the PA's cultural events, educational media and political leaders' statements, citing ways the PA conveys one message to the international community through official communications channels and another, very different message of hate to the Palestinian people using the Arabic language.

"The PA has intensified its diplomatic campaign, claiming it has fulfilled its commitments and is advancing peace," said Marcus. "But PA leaders' communications to their own people in speeches, at events, through the media it controls and in children's magazines contradict the content of its diplomatic stance."

At today's press conference, Itamar Marcus presented an overview of Deception, citing examples of the ways in which the PA uses the cultural, educational and media structures it controls to distance its people from reconciliation with Israel. Wiesel and Bernstein condemned the PA's indoctrination and education of children, which continues to undermine any chance for reconciliation and lasting peace.

"Until the PA starts preparing its children for peace and teaches them to see Israel as a legitimate neighbor, peace will remain an illusion," said Bernstein. "Deception should be read as a warning. Government-sponsored hate speech is incompatible with peace."

PMW has published hundreds of documents, in-depth reports and other research since 1996, chronicling the PA leadership's ongoing hate and terror promotion. Deception is the latest and most comprehensive compilation of evidence to date, representing a year-long monitoring of Palestinian activities, statements and educational resources. It draws a clear picture of the PA's destructive spoken, written and visual messages of hate against Israel that have become a major impediment to peace.

"Unless the PA changes its messages that only 'Palestine' exists and not Israel, that Jews are inherently evil and that terrorists are role models, and unless the PA turns to peace education, there is no chance of achieving authentic peace," says Zilberdik.

Select examples from Deception include:

• The authors draw a direct correlation between the PA's messages of hate speech that demonize Israelis and Jews and bolster the glorification of terror and a child's perception of Hitler as a positive role model. They offer an example of an essay submitted by a Palestinian teenage girl to a PA-funded educational magazine presenting Hitler as a hero because he killed Jews. In her essay, Hitler tells the girl in a dream: "I killed them so you would all know that they are a nation which spreads destruction all over the world."
   
• The authors detail examples of how the PA uses libels and lies to demonize Israelis, including various accusations that have been promoted via communications and media channels: Israel intentionally spreads AIDS, drugs and prostitution among Palestinians; Israel has plans to destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque; and Israel poisoned Yasser Arafat.
   
• The authors illustrate how the glorification of terror and terrorists remains a mainstay of PA policy, as evidenced in the numerous summer camps, sports tournaments and events named after Palestinian terrorists.
   
• The authors point to examples of the PA's constant denial of the legitimacy of Israel's existence. An official PA TV video clip broadcast during the peace talks described Israelis as foreigners on stolen land who should all leave Israel.