Hamas television (Al Aqsa TV) programme Tomorrow's Pioneers has paraded a series of cuddly but angry characters before Palestinian children. First there was Farfour the mouse, then Nahoul the bee, then Assoud the rabbit - who pledged to "finish off the Jews and eat them". Now, there is Nassur the bear who discusses with the host, 11-year old Saraa, how they are ready to "sacrifice ourselves for our homeland!"
This is the kind of material that builds attitudes that make a long term peace in Israel-Palestine far more difficult. Over 40 per cent of the Palestinian population are aged under 15 and this kind of hate education makes it far less likely that it will be possible to convince them, as they grow up, that peaceful compromise is preferable to an ongoing violent struggle. Previous episodes, particularly the death of Farfour, centred around the idea it would be immoral to accept even Tel Aviv remaining a part of Israel.
While Britain doesn't donate directly to Hamas, there is plenty of similar - if less extreme - material on Palestinian Authority television and radio. At exactly the same time as the Palestinian Authority leadership were negotiating for a two state solution at Annapolis their TV station was showing a map of Israel and Palestine all draped in the Palestinian Authority flag, building the idea that the Palestinian's objective should be the destruction of Israel rather than peaceful coexistence. Equally, while we may not fund Hamas itself we pay for services in the Gaza strip that Hamas would otherwise be expected to provide (through the Temporary International Mechanism and its successor PEGASE). That leaves more money in their budget to spend on things like the programme above.
We need to take responsibility as donors and put pressure on the Palestinian authorities to end this hate education. Look out for a new TaxPayers' Alliance publication on this subject, coming out soon.
