Following are excerpts from the Hamas TV Children’s Show “The Pioneers of Tomorrow”, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on December 4, 2009.

Child host Saraa Barhoum: Today, we will talk about education in Islam, and how we teach our children values, morality, and good manners, Nassur.

Teddy bear Nassur: That’s right, dear children. Saraa, perhaps we will watch a cartoon, and see how children are being educated.

Saraa Barhoum: Okay, let’s watch the film, and then we will return. Stay with us.

[...]

Film shows a Jewish boy walking along and dropping a bill of money. An Arab boy stops and picks it up.

Arab boy: Hey, stop.

Jewish boy: Yes, what is it?

Arab boy: You dropped some money. It’s yours.

Jewish boy: Oh? It’s really mine. Tell me, who are you?

Arab boy: Me? My name is Muataz, and I’m a Palestinian Arab.

Jewish boy: You’re an Arab? Are you sure? And a Palestinian, on top of it?

Arab boy: Yes, I’m sure. Why?

Jewish boy: But we were taught at school that the characteristics of the Arabs...

Flashback to a classroom

Teacher: My dear children, the characteristics of the Arabs are: They are cross-eyed, their faces are pockmarked, their noses are crooked, they have evil features, their moustaches are curly, they have deformities, and their teeth are yellow and rotten. These Arabs are barbaric. If they see you, they will kill you. That’s why we should get rid of them, before they kill you.

Jewish boy (talking to Arab boy): But I don’t see anything of what the teacher told us.

Arab boy: You had better ask your grandfather whether he ever had a better life than in the days of Islam.

Jewish boy: Can I ask you a question?

Arab boy: Go ahead.

Jewish boy: Why did you give my money back to me, when you could have taken it?

Arab boy: That’s what our religion teaches us – honesty.

Jewish boy: But my big brother told me...

Flashback to the boy sitting with his big brother, who is telling him a story

Brother: Let me tell you, dear, the Arabs are evil thieves. Let me tell you a story about the Arabs. Long ago, the Arabs were...

Jewish boy (talking to Arab boy): But I see it’s not like that. Where do you live, and how did you get here?

Arab boy: I used to live on this land, which you people plundered. We used to have a garden and a beautiful home, but...

Jewish boy: But what? Go on.

Arab boy: But you bulldozed our garden and destroyed our home. You killed my father and my mother in order to build this wall. I live over there, beyond the wall, with my grandmother.

Jewish boy: But my father used to tell me that the Arabs slaughtered us, and that they wanted to kill every single Jew. That’s why my father would train me...

Flashback to the father teaching his son to shoot

Father: Shoot him, my dear! Shoot him! Before he eats you up. (laughs)

Arab boy: That’s not true. We were created to serve Allah. We treat one another with compassion. We love life, and love to serve people.

Jewish boy: Tell me what you’ve learned from your life.

Arab boy: I’ve learned that Jerusalem is ours. I’ve learned to love my country and land. I’ve learned that we have a land that was taken by force, and will only be restored by force. I have learned justice and honesty.

Saraa Barhoum (to boy in studio): Tell me, Ghassan, what has your mother told you about an Islamic education? What did she teach you?

Nassur: Ghassan, tell us what you learned from this [film], and the [difference] in education between us and our enemies.

Ghassan: The Jews teach their children to slaughter, to destroy, to kill, and to shoot, whereas our children are taught friendship, loyalty, as well as the Islamic religion, and memorizing the Koran. Our children are taught not to steal and not to lie.

Saraa Barhoum: And faith, and...

Nassur: And love of the homeland too.

Ghassan: Yes, faith and love of the homeland.

Saraa Barhoum: Very good.

Nassur: Do you have a question?

Saraa Barhoum: Maybe we could hear him sing?

Nassur: Can I ask one more question?

Saraa Barhoum: Yes, go ahead.

Nassur: Can you remember a day in which you were sad and you cried?

Saraa Barhoum: For example, when somebody dear to you died.

Ghassan: When my father beat me.

Saraa Barhoum (laughing): Well, everybody... Obviously, your father wanted to teach you something.

Nassur: Did he beat you only once?

Ghassan: No, a lot.

Saraa Barhoum: Because he wanted to teach you manners and... If you made a mistake, you need to do better next time.

[...]