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Last update - 09:43 28/05/2008 Israel-PA talks include reviewing textbooks for signs of incitement By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Livni, Peace Talks  Within the framework of the current negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) on a final-status agreement, the sides are examining the possibility of reviewing the textbooks used in the schools, with a view to removing from them content that incites to violence or to a lack of tolerance on national or religious grounds. The talks between Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni and her counterpart, Ahmed Qureia (Abu Alla), deal mainly with the core issues of the conflict Jerusalem, the refugees, the borders and the security arrangements. Nevertheless, a number of joint teams have been set up to deal with civilian subjects such as economics and law. One of the committees established deals with "the culture of peace," its work focusing mainly on issues of incitement. The committee is headed by the deputy to the legal adviser of the foreign ministry, Daniel Taub, and the former minister and senior Fatah official, Sufian Abu Zaida. The committee has had numerous meetings and has prepared several preliminary proposals for ways in which to deal with incitement in the framework of a final-status agreement between Israel and the PA. Advertisement During one of the meetings last week, Taub and Abu Zaida presented their work to Livni and Qureia. This is a very advanced stage during which comments will be made in anticipation of preparing a rough draft of the agreement on the subject of "peace culture." Taub and Abu Zaida reported that they had reached understandings about the need to deal with incitement in the school books, and pointed out that they are examining various mechanisms whose duty it will be to carry this out. One proposal under discussion is that experts from each side will examine the school books of the other side independently, and will prepare a list of comments and requests for changing content. Another proposal is to set up a joint team of experts that will define together what the criteria are for examining the text books, and will carry out a parallel examination with a mixed team. The two also reported that they have started discussing the motives for incitement in the media, with emphasis on the electronic media. The aim is to focus on content that incites to violence, content that harms the right to self determination of the other side or content that encourages a lack of recognition of the other side's right to exist. Beginning with the Wye Plantation agreement of 1998 and continuing until 2003, a joint Israeli-Palestinian committee for the prevention of incitement would meet intermittently, but nothing came of these talks. The first chairmen of the committee were the late journalist, Uri Dan, and Marwan Kanafi, the spokesman for PA chairman Yasser Arafat. The last chairmen were Major General (res.) Yaakov Amidror and the Palestinian minister, Nabil Amar. Former prime minister Ariel Sharon put the issue of incitement at the head of the list of demands that he made of the Palestinians, sometimes even before the demand that a halt be put to terrorism. In the last years of the committee's work, in the midst of the intifada, the committee turned into a stage for arguments and hurling accusations between the sides. Israel claimed that the Palestinian media was encouraging violence and terror attacks, while the Palestinians claimed that Israeli public figures were calling for harming innocent Palestinians. "We do not give out details from the negotiating room, and according to understandings with the PA, no issue is completed until everything has been agreed upon," stated the foreign minister's bureau. Bookmark to del.icio.us   From hunted to hunter Jerusalem camera catches brutal attack by Jewish teens on Arab youths. The will to power Palestinian governments violate human rights in quest for control.   1.   Now THAT`s progress (if it`s true) 09:40  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 28/05/08

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