Putting it on the agenda (again)

1. Putting it on the agenda (again) Historical Dialogue in History Education in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank

2. Aims of today • Brief and dense tour of education systems and historyeducation • British MandatePalestine • Israel • Gaza Strip • West Bank • A position on historyeducation to bedebatedafter the presentation(s) • children= citizens-in-the-making and thus key actors in building long term reconciliation and political change. • Multi-perspectiveenquirybasedhistoryeducation in form of localchildren’s histories as a way forward?

3. Mandate Palestine Education structures History education Public schools for Palestinians Hegemonic curriculum on basis of British history Jewish schools system diaspora history century long positive relations between Palestinians and Palestinians Jew connected histories rather than separate social and political fragmentation and development of two nationalisms • Few public schools for Palestinians • American missionary schools in larger cities • Jewish schools system (on backdrop of pro-Jewish immigration policy) • Establishment of Islamic schools as counter-reaction to British failure to provide education for Palestinians • Separate education systems established mono-lingual educational cultures and spaces • Educational systems reproducing community elites

4. (History) Education in Israel Israelis Bedouin Palestinians Aim of a Zionist historical consciousness (radical break) 1st gen. Textbooks = national commemorative narratives (1950s-1970s ) 2nd gen. textbooks in the 1970’s no different (ministerial publications) 1980: 37% of Jewish students explicated hated Arabs. 67% stated that Arabs should not have full and equal rights. Moderation of textbooks from late 1980s to 2nd Intifada (partial ‘de-zionisation’ during Peace Process) Post-intifada = Zionism regained hegemonic position in education 1948-1966 Education system for ‘Israeli Arabs' under military control Underfunded system, over-crowded buildings and rotating teacher corps Use of hegemonic curriculum influenced by Zionist curriculum for Israeli Jews Education = imposed policy like forced urbanisation 1967- ‘Civilian’ education system established Aim of loyalty to Israeli Despite curriculum change in 1970’s emphasis still on Israeli hegemonic commemorative narratives Jewish place names Renamed Israeli Arabs 1948-1966 Education system for ‘Israeli Arabs' under military control Underfunded system and overcrowded buildings Use of hegemonic curriculum influenced by Zionist curriculum for Israeli Jews 1967- Civilian education system established, but no Palestinian influence Aim of loyalty to Israel Despite curriculum change in 1970’s emphasis still on Israeli hegemonic commemorative narratives, Jewish place names Renamed Israeli Arabs • Continuation of imperial policy of separate education systems + mono-lingual and oppositional educational cultures , identities and spaces

5. Openings & alternatives within Israel In education Civil Society NGO engagement (i.e. Zochrot and the Haifa Initiative) workshops, public lectures, videos, articles, tours as well as study and learning groups from the early 2000’s Theatrical plays for Israeli pupils and students by both professional theatres and co-productions with schools Village histories of villages destroyed with the establishment of Israel on basis of memories, oral history as well as Ottoman and British land ownership documents • Handful of bi-lingual schools established jointly by Israeli and Palestinians parents • Shared history classes with attempts to deal with conflicting histories • History booklets with dual narratives co-developed by Israeli and Palestinian scholars, teachers and international observers through the Peace Research Institute of the Middle East (Adwan & Bar-On)

6. Education in the Gaza Strip 1948-1967 1948-1966 1967-1993 1993- UNRWA school system from 1949 with intention of ‘integration’ Pro-Egyptian curriculum by Jordan due to control of territory Class rooms: some space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities Educational system still run by UNRWA and textbook curriculum by Jordan but in context of Israeli occupation 1968-1969: Re-examination Suppression of Palestinian history through of UNRWA textbooks after Israeli pressure through UN Class rooms: some space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities Formation of Palestinian Authority and Ministry of Education History curriculum under Palestinian control for the first time 1996-2001 textbooks found moderate or unproblematic by international analyses Post-intifada textbooks turn towards stronger emphasis on Islam (PLO vs. Hamas), in some cases liberation becomes Holy War just as Christian Palestinians are excluded New online project of peace education to be launched soon (Jamil)

7. Education in the West Bank 1948-1967 1948-1966 1967-1993 1993- UNRWA school system from 1949 with intention of ‘integration’ Pro-Jordanian curriculum by Jordan due to control of territory Class rooms: relatively large space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities Educational system still run by UNRWA and textbook curriculum by Jordan but in context of Israeli occupation 1968-1969: Suppression of Palestinian history via re-examination of UNRWA textbooks after Israeli pressure through UN (Jordanian wish of taking over West Bank) Class rooms: relatively large space for Palestinian teachers to focus on Palestinian perspectives Development of strong ties to memories of older generations of former homes and villages UNRWA schools vehicles for development of strong sense of Palestinian identities Formation of Palestinian Authority and Ministry of Education History curriculum under Palestinian control for the first time 1996-2001 textbooks found moderate or unproblematic by international analyses New project of peace education to be launched soon

8. Outcome: Education system part of creating oppositional identities Self Other De-humanised/de-familiarised Silencing of the other’s suffering Existence questioned or de-legitimised Socio-cultural inter-action ignored • Suffering of nation • Nation ever present rather than in the making • Used for political legitimisation

9. Theoretical platform: Historicaldialoguethroughlocalisedchildren’shistory of everydaylife • History was part of problem why it also needs to be part of the ‘solution’ providing historicaldialogue with aim of new politicalhorizon(s) for future generations • Children are far more competent than often realised and able to develop and share views of the world and their place therein (Coady 2008) • Children= citizens-in-the-making = key actors in building long term reconciliation and political change (Coady2008) • Imperial + local children histories for context and to re-humanise the living spaces and neighbours and show process of constructing of enemy images in older generations (building on PRIME)

10. Imperial contexts + post-imperial inspiration Cyprus Northern Ireland China, South korea & Japan New textbooks from Tyrkish Cypriot government on basis of desire to re-join Republic of Cyprus from 2005 (withdrawn with change of government) Nation as a process rather than ever present static category Re-humanisation of other Nationalism portrayed critically Maps without dividing lines Multi perspective and enquiry bases textbooks Specifically designed for promoting Caring Critical thinking Recognition of constructivist process Democratic values New un-official history textbook from 2005 and 2011 written by scholars and teachers from all three countries and translated No sponsor or subsidies Difficult issues tackled All 3 countries presented as one community

11. 1917-1948 • 1920s + 1930’s • Stable inter-communal relations • PalestinianRevolt, 1936-1939 • Intercommunal tension leads to violence + inclusion of Jewishsettlers in police force • Emergence and development of enemy images • 1939-1947 • Continuedintercommunal tension and increasing separation • Youthmovement settlements + post-war 11 points in Negev( )

12. 1948 Middle Eastern war/ Nakba/War of Independence • 220.000 urban and rural Palestiniansinto Gaza Strip afterdestruction of 45 out of 61 villages in district • Social tension challengesexistingcategories and relations (young old, rich-poor etc.) altered • Establishment of geographies of militarism • Militarisation of Everydaylife • Enemy images reinforced with the ethniccleansing of Palestine and the establishment of Israel

13. 1948-1956 (I) - Overcrowded camps, poorhousing and growing number of children (=> 90.000), inadequare rations + diseases - Egyptianmilitary + police regime - Constantoverflight of Israeli fighter jets + Frequentmortarattacks + raids - Israeliarmykill policy (1951=>) - 10 new Jewish settlements - Emergence of revenge raids and supply raids - UN militaryobservers suggest building of security barrier - Nassir: Formation of Palestinian Suez Unit + Border Guards + Student Union

14. 1948-1956 (II) - Egyptianmilitary raids and bombings (mostly as response to Israeliattacks) - Promotion of miltiarism in + negative discourse on Palestinianschildren’s media, litterature and board games - Blur of time of peace and war with frequentoverflight of Israeli fighter jets + massive militaryexercisees + fortificationprojectsby 100.000’s of people - Emergence of revenge raids and supply raids (latter often by youth gangs) - 10 new stateinitiated settlements with offensive architecture with soldiers, youngpioneers + youngcouples

15. 1956-1957 • French + Israelinavalshelling and Israeliaerialbombing of Gaza Strip • Thousandstry to flee, but nowhere to go + winter • IsraeliOccupation: From Bad to Worse => Loss of hope of possibilityreturn • Massacres in refugee camps to locate militant infiltrators => massive trauma to alreadystrugglingchildren and youth

16. 1957-1967 - Return of Egyptian Police and Palestinian Border Guards - UN militarypresence with 5.500 soldiersenforcingno-crossing regime ‘peacekeepingeconomy’ with international presencepushing up prices and egyptiansbuyingluxurygoods from Lebanon + remittances from Gulf states - Occasionalhootingsand arrests of palestinianadults and children in ADL zone + - UN trafficaccidents - IntensifyingIsraelioverflights - Establishment of Fatah and deployment of armedcompanies in 1959 almostforced out UN forces from fear of clashes - Girls marryingyounger as familymeans of gettingextra support, but overweight of boys (Gulf remittancesscheme)

17. Phases Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Gather interested people Brainstorm Develop Plan Workshops Production of material or supplements if using textbook of PRIME Test with participating teachers, elders and local groups of children Evaluate Revise Test with participating teachers , elders and local groups of children Evaluate Revise Spread message and ‘system’

18. Summary/Could it work? Cyprus, Northern Ireland, China, South Korea and Japan Mandate Palestine, Isrel, West Bank & Gaza Strip Localised children’s histories: Re-humanisation of others and their living space Enquiry based (interpret documents, interviews, films. etc) Multiple simultaneous perspectives Specifically designed for promoting Caring Critical thinking Recognition of constructivist process Democratic values Nations shown as processes Localised children’s histories: • Re-humanisation of others and their living space • Enquiry based (interpret documents, interviews, films. etc) • Multiple simultaneous perspectives • Specifically designed for promoting • Caring • Critical thinking • Recognition of constructivist process • Democratic values • Nations shown as processes