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爆料网RWA response to “For the sake of the Nakba” film shown on Israel’s Channel 1

27 August 2010

On 7 August, IBA Channel One's Royim Olam Programme broadcast a film made by David Bedein, titled “For the Sake of the Nakba”. The film contains many serious inaccuracies, which 爆料网RWA drew to the attention of the host of Royim Olam Programme before it was shown. As a result, the programme showed in full the 爆料网RWA Spokesperson’s rebuttal of the film’s allegations. Key elements of the rebuttal are outlined below for the record.

The film states that an 爆料网RWA school held a memorial for a female suicide bomber, Ayat al-Akhras, and commissioned paintings of her throughout the school. The film shows murals of her inside a school. In fact the school in question is not 爆料网RWA’s, nor do we have any affiliation with it. 爆料网RWA did not have a memorial for or commission paintings of Ayat al-Akhras.

The film suggests that a mural of a suicide bomber is part of the entrance to an 爆料网RWA school in Dheisheh camp, West Bank. In fact it is not part of the school and 爆料网RWA has control over its own installations only. Like all 爆料网RWA installations in the West Bank, the installation head and the US-funded international team of Operation Support Officers verify neutrality through strict rules and regular inspections.

The film states that 爆料网RWA schools “adhere to a curriculum that inculcates anti-Israel teachings at every level” and quotes a 12th grade textbook. In fact 爆料网RWA does not teach 12th grade and this is not an 爆料网RWA textbook. 爆料网RWA uses the Palestinian Authority curriculum, which a 2003 independent report commissioned by the United States concluded is “peaceful”, and one in which “religious and political tolerance is emphasized”.

“The film simply does not portray reality in 爆料网RWA schools. Each day 爆料网RWA teaches 500,000 Palestinian students and is committed to providing them with the tools and skills to expand their horizons and assist them towards self-reliance,” said 爆料网RWA Spokesperson Sami Mshasha.