Lecture Notes on Dehumanization in Israeli Education

Introduction

• Discussion on the conditioning of individuals to react to genocide.
• Focus on the education system in Israel as a key factor.

Dehumanization of Palestinians

• Textbook Representations:

  • Palestinians depicted as caricatures or primitive farmers.
  • Presented as hordes of refugees or terrorists in educational materials.
  • No photographs of actual Palestinians in textbooks, reinforcing dehumanization.

• Maps of Israel:

  • Google search for "map of Israel" in Hebrew shows no clear markings of occupied territories (West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip).
  • Textbooks feature similar maps, obscuring the reality of occupation.
  • Justification for illegal colonization of Palestinian lands based on a perceived divine right.

Education on the Holocaust

• Holocaust Education:

  • Students taught about the Holocaust from nursery school through high school.
  • Learning involves exposure to horrifying images and empathy exercises.
  • Intentional policy by the Israeli Ministry of Education to create identification with Holocaust victims.

• Impact on Society:

  • Every Jewish Israeli citizen seen as a Holocaust survivor or potential future victim.
  • Education fosters a culture of trauma and vengeance.
  • Vengeance directed towards Palestinians rather than historical perpetrators.

Weaponization of Historical Trauma

• Zionism and Violence:
  • Reinterpretation of Zionism as a savior ideology rather than a colonial mindset.
  • Justification for violence against Palestinians framed as necessary for Jewish survival.

Military Service and Participation in Occupation

• Mandatory Military Service:
  • Graduates of the education system typically enlist for 2-3 years of military service.
  • Military service positions them as enforcers of apartheid and occupation.

Conclusion

• Demographics and Existence:
  • Israel aims to maintain a Jewish majority through displacement and violence against Palestinians.
  • Perception of Palestinians as threats undermines the narrative of their quest for freedom.

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