Israel Removes Climate Activist Greta Thunberg From School Curricula After ‘Stand With Gaza’ Post
by Shiryn Ghermezian
Police officers detain Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, during an Oily Money Out and Fossil Free London protest in London, Britain, October 17, 2023. Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville
Israel’s Ministry of Education announced on Monday that all references to Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg as a role model would be removed from study materials in the country’s public school curricula after she expressed solidarity with “Palestine and Gaza” without denouncing Hamas and its terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians earlier this month.
“Following Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg’s biased and one-sided support for Gaza, without condemning Hamas, the Ministry of Education has decided to remove educational resources that portray her as a role model or a source of inspiration,” the ministry said in a statement. “Her outrageous stance and apparent inability to differentiate between good and evil disqualify her from representing the forces that strive for positive change in the world.”
The ministry added: “Her image cannot be a model for our students, many of whom saw her as inspiration. It is important to clarify that we do not erase her contribution to the history of the global environmental movement, but rather, we are satisfied with the factual mention of her contribution, along with many other activists.”
Photo: Screenshot
On Friday, Thunberg, 20, posted on X/Twitter: “Today we strike in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate cease-fire, justice, and freedom for Palestinians, and all civilians affected.” She also uploaded a photo of herself holding a sign that read “Stand With Gaza,” while others in the picture held signs saying “Free Palestine,” “This Jew Stands With Palestine,” and “Climate Justice Now.”
That same day, Thunberg shared on her Instagram Story a post by a Germany-based, pro-Palestinian account that claimed a “genocide” was happening in the Gaza Strip.
Thunberg’s comments were criticized by a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces; ZAVIT, the news agency of the Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences; more than 100 Israeli environmentalists in an open letter sent to the climate activist; and many other pro-Israel voices who responded to her on X.
The state of Israel’s official X account replied saying: “@GretaThunberg, Hamas doesn’t use sustainable materials for their rockets which have BUTCHERED innocent Israelis. The victims of the Hamas massacre could have been your friends. Speak up.”
“Greta Thunberg is the best-known climate activist in the world today,” the Israeli environmental organization Adam Teva VeDin said in a statement. “From her influential position, she expressed a one-sided and incoherent opinion, completely ignoring the cruel acts endured by Israeli citizens and the kidnapping of hundreds of people. When Greta approaches another topic in a superficial and dismissive manner, it inevitably weakens the validity of her positions on climate.”
On Saturday, Thunberg added in a post on X: “It goes without saying — or so I thought — that I’m against the horrific attacks by hamas [sic]. As I said, ‘the world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice, and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.’ #StandWithPalestine.”
Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist group in control of Gaza, invaded Israel on Oct. 7 and massacred 1,400 people, mostly civilians, launching the ongoing conflict between the two sides.
