At the Second Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of Childhood, held February 3, 2009 in Khartoum, Syrian Education Minister Dr. 'Ali Sa'd announced that the concept of the" terrorist Zionist entity," presented by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in his speech at the January 16, 2009 Doha summit, would be incorporated into the Syrian school curriculum. In that speech, Assad accused Israel of perpetrating another Nazi holocaust in Gaza, claiming that the spilling of Arab blood since the establishment of Israel was intended to bring about a purely Jewish state. Assad also called to instill in the future Arab generations the principle "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," to ensure that they would never forget or forgive Israel's actions.
Following are excerpts from statements by Syrian Education Minister Dr. 'Ali Sa'd and by other Syrian and Arab officials, as well as excerpts from Assad's speech at the Doha summit.
Syrian Education Minister: Assad's Message Must Be Transmitted to Future Generations
At the conference, which was attended by representatives of 36 Arab and Islamic countries, Syrian Education Minister Dr. 'Ali Sa'd said: "The Syrian Education Ministry regards the strategic concepts and ideas presented by President Bashar Al-Assad at the emergency summit on Gaza as [an outline for a] work plan."
He added that at a meeting held by the ministry, attended by all elements in charge of developing the Syrian curriculum and textbooks, it had been decided to incorporate these concepts and ideas into the new curriculum and books, in order to inculcate them in "the generations that would build the nation's future," and thereby teach them that "the Zionist entity is a terrorist entity."
Sa'd stressed that if the expressions "We will not forget and not forgive" and "terrorist entity" (as a label for Israel) appeared in Syrian textbooks, it would "create awareness about [the nature of] this entity, and constitute immeasurable support for resistance in the [battle]field." Sa'd also stated that President Assad and his wife had a personal interest in education and concern for this issue, and that they intended to "equip the nation's [future] generations with the knowledge, ideology, values, and abilities [necessary] to meet the needs of the [country's] renewed development."[1]
It should be noted that the Khartoum conference adopted the Syrian delegation's recommendation to term Israel a "terrorist entity" in textbooks and in the media.[2]
At a reception for the delegations attending the Arab Youth Conference, held February 3-6, 2009 in Syria, Ba'th Party National Deputy Secretary Muhammad Sa'id Bkheitan announced that Syria "saw the Arab youth as the nation's hope for strengthening the endeavor of construction, progress, and support for the enterprise of resistance to occupation and aggression."
Several delegation heads likewise expressed their appreciation for "the role played by Syria in strengthening the culture of resistance and steadfastness," and the conference proposed "to inculcate the culture of resistance as a culture of an Arab generation that believes in the power of life, aspires to freedom, and opposes the culture of defeatism."[3]
Assad: "Israel – The Most Dangerous [Brand of] Nazism in the Modern Era"
In his speech at the January 16, 2009 Doha summit on Gaza, Assad declared: "The starting point of our decisions today will be our support for the people of Gaza in the face of the new Nazi holocaust [perpetrated by] Israel... [However, our understanding] will not be complete unless we realize that the problem lies not only in the occupation per se, but in the nature of the enemy we are facing…
"This enemy has established itself through slaughter, sustained itself through plunder and destruction, and anchored its future in genocide. This is an enemy who speaks only the language of blood, and hence understands only the language of blood. The spilling of Arab blood since Israel's establishment is regarded by Israel's leaders as the fuel needed to [power] the machine [designed] to create a purely Jewish state. [This state] will become possible only after the non-Jews are expelled from Palestine and those remaining are exterminated.
"It follows that the [current] Gaza events are not merely a response to [Hamas'] missiles – [because] had missiles not existed, the [Israelis] would have invented them and fired them [themselves] as an excuse [for their aggression]. Rather, [the Gaza offensive] is a link in the long chain [of actions] aimed at creating the Palestine of their dreams, which they presume to portray as a country without a people…
"There must be legal measures so that Israel stands trial – despite our lack of faith in the relevant international institutions – so that it will be written in the annals of history that [the Israelis] are not only racists but [represent] the most dangerous brand of Nazism in the modern era…
"Oh brothers, we are a nation of peace, and our national, Arab, and human moral values are anchored in peace. Likewise, we have tried to forget the massacres of Deir Yassin, Kafr Qassem, Jenin, Qana – both the first and the second – and many others perpetrated by Israel against the Arabs. But Israel insists on reminding us of the truth about itself. We have a very good memory… [and] we promise them that we will continue to remember.
"But, more importantly, we will ensure that our sons remember too. We will preserve for them the pictures of the Gaza children, with their open wounds oozing blood on their toys. We will tell them about the martyrs, the bereaved [families], the widows, and the cripples. We will teach them that 'Allah favors and loves the strong believer over the weak one,' [and to uphold these principles:] 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'; 'he who started the fight is guilty'; and what was taken by force will only be reclaimed by force.
"We will explain to them that those who do not remember the past forfeit the future as well. On the walls of their rooms, we will hang posters exhorting every Arab child who is born into this world 'Do Not Forget' – so that when he grows up, he will say to them, 'No, I will neither forget nor forgive'…"[4]
"For Every Arab Child Killed, Dozens of Resistance Fighters Are Born"
"I stress [to the Israelis] that the war crimes they are committing will bring them nothing but generations of Arabs imbued with [even] deeper hatred for Israel. The [Arabs'] strength and determination will grow faster than [Israel's] arsenal, and the power [of their determination] will be more lethal. This means that for every Arab child killed, dozens of resistance fighters are born – thus, [the Israelis] are digging the graves of their children and grandchildren with their own hands.
"Today, they have an opportunity to plant the seeds of the future they want – for better or for worse. Later, they will no longer be able to determine what harvest [they will reap]. They have sowed blood and will reap nothing but [blood]. And when the seedling grows, it will be much bigger than the seed from which it sprang."[5]
Endnotes:
[1] Al-Ba'th (Syria), February 3, 2009.
[2] Teshreen (Syria), February 5, 2009.
[3] Al-Thawra (Syria), February 6, 2009.
[4] Al-Ba'th (Syria), January 17, 2009.
[5] Al-Ba'th (Syria), January 17, 2009.
