Plans to teach children about the Israel/Gaza war in schools will “incite antisemitism” in Ireland, former justice minister Alan Shatter has claimed.

A group called ‘Teachers for Palestine’ has proposed a two-week campaign in schools to teach children about the conflict through reading and exploring local dance, food, art and culture.

Group spokesperson Conall Ó'Dufaigh told The Hard Shoulder yesterday that “nobody is being forced” to take part in the campaign – noting that it will not endorse violence or discrimination.

“It's actually blatantly stated in the goals [that] there should be no discrimination, including Islamophobia or anti-Semitism,” he said.

Should Irish children be taught about Gaza in school?

The group Teachers for Palestine has proposed a two-week campaign to bring awareness to events in Gaza.

Conall O’Dufaigh from Teachers for Palestine told Newstalk: “Our goal is to bring awareness to the plight of… pic.twitter.com/1BpHICO0FX

— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) April 23, 2024

On Newstalk Breakfast today, Alan Shatter said the content the group is putting forward is “misleading” and will “brainwash children”.

“It doesn’t provide for a balanced engagement with children at all,” he said.

“What this exercise is about is bringing, inappropriately, into our classrooms, a Sinn Féin/Hamas narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to brainwash children.

“It has very toxic material in it; it will spread hate and there is a false history detailed of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and it will incite antisemitism.

“It is entirely and utterly inappropriate this is being brought into our schools.”

Palestinians inspect damage to a building after overnight Israeli bombardment in Al-Maghazi, 29-3-24. Image: Imago / Alamy

The former justice minister said the proposed curriculum has left out essential materials to understand the conflict.

“There’s no reference to the fact that Hamas rules Gaza and the Palestinian Authority rules the West Bank,” he said.

“There is nothing said about the atrocities perpetrated on the 7th of October, nothing said about 133 men, women and children kidnapped and still retained in Gaza.

“This is a very selective, ideological, historically inaccurate [curriculum] to brainwash children in our schools.”

Curriculum

Mr Shatter said the curriculum hasn’t been approved by any teaching body.

“This is a very detailed curriculum that has not been sanctioned by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA),” he said.

“School curriculums are checked by and approved by the NCCA and ultimately approved by the Department of Education.

“The NCCA knows nothing about this and this is a very sophisticated engagement sponsored by an unknown donor which is designed specifically to spread hate in our schools.”

Main image shows destroyed buildings inside the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, 19-03-2024. Image: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

Mr Shatter also called for an end to the conflict.

“I would like to see permanent peace between Israelis and Palestinians, a viable two-state solution with everyone living in peace and security,” he said.

An estimated 34,000 people have died in Gaza since October 7th.

Main Image: Former justice minister Alan Shatter. Image: Pic Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie