Youth Guide: Countering Anti-Palestinian Racist Myths

Introduction

In talks about Palestine and Israel, you may hear racist myths and stereotypes about Palestinians. These myths are used to deny their human rights and to excuse injustice against them. This guide aims to show why those myths are false and to give facts to help counter them.

DOWNLOAD GUIDE HERE

What is Anti-Palestinian Racism

 

Anti-Palestinian racism is a form of systemic racism that works to silence, exclude, erase, stereotype, defame, or treat Palestinians and their stories as less than human.

It shows up in many ways including:

  • Denying the Nakba — the mass violence, forced expulsions, terror campaigns, massacres and other crimes committed against Palestinians during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.
  • Justifying violence against Palestinians
  • Denying that Palestinians are the Indigenous people of Palestine with their own identity and rights. 
  • Erasing Palestinians’ human rights and their equal dignity and worth
  • Excluding Palestinians or Palestinian perspectives or pressuring others to exclude them
  • Defaming Palestinians or their allies with slander — such as calling them inherently antisemitic, a terrorist threat or supporter, or against democracy

 

Why This is Racism

 

Racism is made up to excuse unfair treatment. It is not based on science or biology.

  • Like anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Palestinian racism is built into systems of power and causes serious harm. It treats Palestinians as less human, erases their identity, and blames them for their suffering.
  • It spreads lies and stereotypes that harm Palestinian youth and their allies. It takes away their human rights and teaches others to accept cruelty towards them.
  • Naming and challenging anti-Palestinian racism is the first step towards justice.

 

I have learned that in order to bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step.

We will fail when we fail to try. Each and every one of us can make a difference.

— Rosa Parks

 

SUPPORT OUR WORK

 

Facts and Myths

 

Fact: Students have the right to talk about Palestine or Palestinians at school 


Myth: “We can’t talk about Palestine at school because it’s too controversial or political”

 

Why the myth is false:

  • Public schools cannot ban a viewpoint simply for being “controversial” or “political” because it goes against First Amendment rights of freedom of speech.
  • Singling out Palestine, while allowing talk of other human rights struggles—like South African apartheid, the Civil Rights Movement, or Indigenous rights— is unfair and unequal treatment called viewpoint discrimination.

 

Facts you can state: 

  • Talking about Palestine is about human rights, freedom, equality and justice. 
  • Student freedom of speech on these topics is protected (when non-disruptive) by the US Constitution and the Supreme Court.
  • Blocking education about Palestine or Palestinian stories and history is not neutral; it is a form of anti-Palestinian racism called erasure. 

 

Fact: Criticism of the Israeli government & support of Palestinian rights is legitimate

 

Myth: “Criticism of Israel or support of Palestine is antisemitic” 

 

Why the myth is false: 

  • Speaking out against Israeli government’s actions, including B’tselem’s and Amnesty International’s findings of genocide, is not attacking Jewish people. 
  • It is racist to say Palestinians and people (including many Jewish people) supporting Palestinian human rights are antisemitic.  This lie silences and harms them.
  • It is used to justify violence and denial of Palestinian human rights, freedoms and equality. 

 

Facts you can state :

  • Supporting Palestinian human rights does not take away Jewish human rights. Human rights is not a zero sum game.
  • Stopping genocide is not antisemitic — it is a moral duty. The United Nations’ Genocide Convention says everyone must help stop genocide. 

 

Fact: From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will be Free = freedom, equality and justice for all 

Myth: “’From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free is a call for genocide of Jews”

 

Why the myth is false:

  • “River to the Sea” refers to historic Palestine – the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. “Palestine will be Free” means exactly that: freedom for all people.
  • Palestinians today do not have freedom, equality or justice because of discriminatory Israeli laws and government actions.
  • Saying a call for freedom has built in violence (e.g. is inherently genocidal) is a form of racism. This is not a new strategy. It was used against Blacks in apartheid South Africa and in the US when they were calling for equal rights and freedom. 

 

Facts you can state: 

  • This chant imagines a future where all people in historic Palestine have equal rights and freedom – no matter what their religion is.
  • It is unjust and racist to say people calling for freedom are inherently violent, threatening or genocidal.

 

Fact: Palestinians are humans and supporting Palestinians means supporting human rights

 

Myth: “Palestinians are terrorists, and supporting Palestine means supporting terrorism”

 

Why the myth is false:

  • Palestinians are mothers, fathers, babies, children, brothers, sisters and grandparents who should have human rights like everyone else. 
  • During the Nakba, when Israel was created in 1948, Zionist gangs carried out terror campaigns, and massacres. They forced over 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and land. They also destroyed more than 500 Palestinian villages. Palestinians are still struggling for freedom, equality, and justice. 
  • Calling the Palestinian people “terrorists” is a racist stereotype. It is used to justify violence against them and their children. 

 

 Facts you can state: 

  • Palestinian children want to live normal lives without fear of being killed, just like all children.
  • It is racist to stereotype or treat Palestinians or their supporters as less than human for calling for freedom and human rights.
  • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act can protect Palestinian students and allies from discrimination based on national origin when they speak up for Palestinian rights.

 

Fact: Palestine does exist. Palestinians do exist.

 

Myth: “No such thing as a Palestinian or Palestine doesn’t exist”

 

Why the myth is false:

  • International law and United Nations records recognize Palestinians as the Indigenous people of Palestine, with a distinct and unique identity, culture, dialect, traditions and food.
  • Palestinians have had a continuous presence in Palestine for thousands of years. 

 

Facts you can state: 

  • Claiming Palestinians “don’t exist” or Palestine “doesn’t exist” is called Nakba denial and it is racist.
  • It is an attempt to erase Palestinian identity in order to justify taking land, human rights and civil rights away from the Indigenous people of Palestine.

 

SUPPORT OUR WORK

 

Fact: Palestinians want peace, freedom, equality and justice, not hatred

 

Myth: “Palestinians don’t want peace / are raised to hate Jews”

 

Why the myth is false: 

  • Since the Nakba in 1948, Palestinians have worked for peace. They supported UN resolutions in 1948, 1949, and 1967, recognized Israel in 1988, and joined the Oslo Accords and 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.
  •  In 2018, Palestinians in Gaza held the peaceful Great March of Return. 
  • For centuries, Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together peacefully in Palestine. Palestinians are not raised to hate any religion.

 

Facts you can state: 

 

 

Support our work by donating here!

 

This information and pamphlet is intended for educational purposes to promote awareness and discussion about racism. It does not constitute legal advice or counseling services. The information presented is for learning and conversation and doesn’t represent the views of every institution. IUAPR is not responsible for any misuse of this information or pamphlet.

 

Follow us on Instagram: @antipalestinianracism | LinkedIn: IUAPR  | antipalestinianracism.org

DOWNLOAD GUIDE HERE