(Communicated by the Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Ministry)
At the weekly Cabinet meeting today (Sunday, 17 January 2016), Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Minister Gilad Erdan presented ministers with the
index of incitement in the Palestinian Authority. The findings of the index indicate a rise in incitement in the Palestinian Authority, sponsored by the leadership and religious figures, in the institutions of formal education and massive exposure of the culture of incitement to the international community.
Ministers were presented with examples from children's and youth programs on the official Palestinian Authority television channel featuring - inter alia - children calling for the murder of Jews, incitement by Palestinian Authority Chairman Abu Mazen encouraging terrorism, and incitement in new media.
Strategic Affairs and Public Diplomacy Ministry Director General Sima Vaknin noted that approximately 37% of terrorists are under 20, 39% are 21-25 and the remaining 24% are over 26.
Minister Erdan emphasized, "I intend to methodically expose the Palestinian culture of incitement among relevant communities around the world."
Minister Erdan's proposal is one of several proposals for action in dealing with the phenomenon of Palestinian incitement that were presented to the Cabinet:
- Establishing an economic threat to the Palestinian Authority in the form of freezing assistance or conditioning it on a halt to the discourse of incitement;
- Mapping legislation against incitement on social networks in various countries and in the European Union;
- Increasing open and concealed presence on social networks; and
- Exposing the culture of incitement to the international community.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed that the materials be distributed to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and EU member state foreign ministers, and to all Foreign Ministry missions around the world.