Monday, November 26, 2001 Kislev 11, 5762 Israel Time: 21:29 (GMT+2)
20:52 26/11/2001 Last update - 20:59 26/11/2001
PR campaign focuses on incitement in Palestinian textbooks
By Aluf Benn, Ha'aretz Correspondent
Prior to a meeting by countries that donate to the Palestinian Authority that is to be held in two weeks, Israel will embark on a new public relations campaign that will stress the incitement found in Palestinian textbooks.
Minister without Portfolio Tzipi Livni, who is responsible for public relations efforts, said Monday that the European Union should be encouraged to donate to the PA and aid in raising the quality of life in the territories, but that the EU should demand that the Palestinians be clear on the money usage and should fight incitement, especially that found in textbooks.
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said at a meeting with top Israeli public relations officials that Israel "should be positive" to the Europeans. According to Peres, a European delegation visiting Jerusalem last week left "with very bad feelings." The foreign minister warned officials at the meeting, held at ministry offices, that "we should have no illusions - the Americans, Europe and Russia are totally coordinated."
Peres expressed opposition to Palestinian attempts to bring about the stationing of international observers in the territories "by any means possible." According to Peres, the stationing of the observers would be damaging because they would not stop the terrorists, but would only hinder Israel's counter-actions to prevent terror. He also said that the observers would "only see what the Palestinians will want to show them, and that would not be effective."
Livni said that in Washington, Palestinian Cabinet member Nabil Sha'ath had suggested the stationing of American observers in the territories that would oversee prisons. |
