The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas denounced in the strongest terms the resolution by the European Parliament announced on last Wednesday condemning the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) over school curricula’s content.

The movement said in a statement that "This resolution came as a result of pressure from Israeli lobby groups and their continuous incitement against the Palestinian people and their national project even though the Israeli occupation and its presence on the Palestinian land is the most prominent feature of incitement and its crimes is the root cause behind all acts of violence in Palestine and the neighbouring countries."

Hamas underlined that it condemned double-standards in European positions as it has not seen similar stances by the European Union on Israeli curricula even though the Israeli education content and the media is filled with racism, hatred, dehumanisation of others, particularly Arabs and Palestinians, in addition to content smearing the Palestinian people’s image and denying their existence.

Meanwhile, the movement stressed that advocating the Palestinian national identity and defending the Palestinian rights to freedom, dignity and independence is one of the most crucial goals of Palestinian institutions towards the coming generations.       

"Under the mandate of the United Nations and as per its work mechanism, which obliged it to cooperate with the education institutions in the regions where it operates, the UNRWA has a significant duty to present the Palestinian presence and identity until they return to their homeland from which they were forced out."

Hamas called on the EU parliament to review its resolution and not count on the Israeli narrative in determining its stance on the struggle, urging it to monitor the Israeli curricula and media, and expose the racism and hatred promoted by Israeli institutions under an official cover.

It also called on the EU to increase its contribution to the UNRWA and its bodies amid the harsh financial crisis facing it as it is aiding more than 5 million Palestinians and fulfils their humanitarian needs in the fields of health, education and food."