Anger ‘as foreign aid funds terror in schools’

FURIOUS MPs and campaigners yesterday called for an inquiry into claims that millions of pounds of UK foreign aid is being funnelled to Palestinian schools which “poison” children’s minds.

Taxpayers’ cash is funding teachers who promote terrorism and child soldiers, it is believed.

Britain is giving the Palestinian Authority £25million this year to promote health and education in the West Bank.

But 24 schools are named after terrorists, including one after the leader of the militant group Hamas, and teachers have admitted talking to pupils about martyrs and are said to have encouraged them to emulate murderers.

Children even staged the mock execution of an Israeli soldier in a school play. And some sports events have been named after child soldiers who have committed attacks.

Extremism

Gideon Falter, chairman of Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, said: “Some of the most violent strains of extremism and anti-Semitism in the world today are coming from classrooms in the Middle East. It is nothing short of child abuse to teach children to commit acts of terrorism and to hate Jews.

“Such incitement soon turns into violence of the very kind that threatens Jews in Britain and across the world.

“If there is any indication at all that British taxpayers’ money is being funnelled into the incitement of children to attack Jews, then I would expect an independent and transparent inquiry to be instituted and for the civil servants responsible to be held to account.”

Tory MP David Davies said: “This needs to be thoroughly investigated. I do have concerns about the way money is spent in the West Bank and I think those concerns would be shared by Priti Patel – the International Development Secretary – and I very much hope this is the next thing we turn to.”

Andrew Percy MP added: “I’ve repeatedly raised the issue of the hate education, which is poisoning young Palestinians’ minds, and we should be spending money on reconciliation.”

One school is named after Dalal Mughrabi, who took part in hijacking a bus, leaving 38 dead in 1978.

Another was named after the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s former mastermind Abu Jihad, who was blamed for the deaths of 125 Israelis. The Palestinian’s education ministry has planted trees honouring terrorists and former head teacher Nabil Samara has been jailed over terror links.

A Development Department spokesman said: “Government funding to the Palestinian Authority has recently changed. UK support only goes to vetted teachers and is helping up to 25,000 young Palestinians go to school. Denying them an education would leave them more vulnerable to extremism.”