Schools should be required to teach the history of Israel amid concerns over a rise in antisemitic incidents, MPs have heard.
Conservative MP Bob Blackman (Harrow East) asked for a review of the curriculum to ensure young people are “properly educated” about Israel’s history, as he warned there is currently “widespread ignorance”.
Schools minister Damian Hinds said the existing history curriculum offers scope for pupils to learn about Israel.
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Speaking at education questions, Mr Blackman told the Commons: “The rise of antisemitism in schools and anywhere is absolutely unacceptable.
“One of the causes for this is the failure of schools to teach children about the history of Israel; the fact that Jewish people have occupied Israel for over 3,000 years and indeed the Balfour Declaration set up the creation of the modern state of Israel.
“Because that is not actually communicated there is widespread ignorance and people don’t believe that Jewish people have occupied that land for so long.
Bob Blackman MP
“Can he therefore conduct a review of the curriculum to ensure young people are properly educated in the history of Israel?”
Mr Hinds replied: “I appreciate what (Mr Blackman) says and obviously history is a very important subject for many reasons.
“I would say that learning about Israel and about the wider region can be covered in history, for example, in the theme that is called ‘Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world since 1901’.
“In general in our national curriculum we do not specify individual historical events, the sole exception – as he will know – being the Holocaust.”
Mr Hinds earlier said he has been “horrified and appalled” to see a rise in antisemitism in education settings.
SNP education spokeswoman Carol Monaghan said: “It’s right that young people can recognise and denounce antisemitism and it is right that they know something of the history of the region, including the continued expansion of illegal settlements.
“But I hope the minister would agree that right-wing rhetoric and Islamophobia also pose a threat to young people.
“So I’d ask him what steps are being taken to ensure both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate are treated with equal severity, especially given some of the Islamophobic remarks made by members and former members of his own party.
Mr Hinds said Ms Monaghan was “quite right” to call out the “wickedness” of Islamophobia, adding: “There have been Islamophobic incidents in school as well, and Tell Mama I think is a very important resource in that regard.
“We will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred in any form and we will seek to stamp it out whenever and wheresoever it occurs.”
