Report Reveals Palestinian Authority Schools Celebrated Hamas October 7 Attacks

A special report by Itamar Marcus and Aharon Shapiro from the Palestinian Media Watch research institute exposes how Palestinian Authority (PA) schools commemorated the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The report details ceremonies, assemblies, and events in PA schools that glorified the actions of Hamas militants during the deadly assault.

The report includes direct quotes from school events praising the October 7 attacks, describing the day as a "month of blood" and a historic moment that brought pride and hope for liberation. Students recited chants celebrating the "martyrs" and the "heroes" of the attack, with language depicting Israelis as fearful and weak. These celebrations took place in various schools, including Palestine Girls’ Elementary School, Siris Girls’ Elementary School, Singel Boys’ High School, and the Yasser Arafat School.

Ten days after the attacks, a victory parade was held at the Azoun Boys’ Elementary School, where young students sang songs glorifying the militants and invoking religious chants. The report also highlights that the glorification extended into school math exercises, with multiplication problems referencing the number of Israelis killed and the number of jihad fighters sent to Israeli settlements. Teachers praised correct answers with blessings and calls for mercy on the "martyrs."

The report concludes that superficial changes to PA textbooks are insufficient to address the deep-rooted indoctrination in the PA education system. It accuses the PA Ministry of Education and the ruling Fatah party’s educational apparatus of poisoning Palestinian children’s minds with hatred, denial of Israel’s right to exist, and glorification of murder. The authors call for the removal of current educators and administrators and propose strict oversight similar to the Allied supervision of German education after World War II.