Little progress on books
Palestinians have made scant progress in removing anti-Semitic passages from school textbooks, a new report says. Palestinian Textbooks: From Arafat to Abbas and Hamas, the fourth such report published by the American Jewish Committee and the Center for Monitoring Peace in the Middle East, found little mention of Israel in the books and said anti-West hatred was a “prevalent theme.” The report examined 42 Grade 11 and 12 textbooks. It found most maps don’t include Israel and that Jewish links to some holy places aren’t mentioned. Some Grade 11 books showed improvement, the study said.
African refugees in Israel
Some 2,400 African refugees have crossed into Israel from Egypt so far this year, officials told Ha’aretz. The total number that have entered Israel is estimated at 6,000. Some 2,600 of them live in Tel Aviv, many in poor conditions in shelters and parks in south Tel Aviv. Mayor Ron Huldai said the refugees will be moved to a tent compound with better conditions.
Swiss gas deal protested
The Swiss ambassador was summoned March 19 to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to receive a formal complaint after Switzerland agreed last week to buy Iranian natural gas worth as much as $30 billion (US). Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey announced the deal in Tehran. Her trip, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, was “an act unfriendly toward Israel” and threatened U.S.-led efforts to isolate Iran via economic sanctions. Calmy-Rey, whose government favours talks to curb Iran’s nuclear program, denied the gas deal violates UN Security Council sanctions against Tehran.
