His formative years were spent in the Middle East. where he was most likely exposed to intrigue and alien ideologies. Although I do not wish to say anything which might prejudice the case being developed against Sirhan Sirhan. I think it appropriate to note that most Palestinian refugees are steeped in the politics of hate from early childhood. Schools for Palestinian refugees in particular. and for Arabs in general. I am afraid. emphasize hate for Israel and the West in the most undisguised and offensive manner. For instance. a typical math problem describes one Arab meeting 10 Israelis. The refugee child is told that the brave Arab kills eight Israelis and is asked how many Israelis are left. This sounds like an exaggeration. I am sure. but it is an accurate. although brief. description of a situation that has obtained in that part of the world for too many years. Moreover. it is worth noting that we. the 200 million allegedly guilty people of America. provide much of the money to pay for such textbooks. Until the June ArabIsraeli war of last year. the United States provided twothirds of the budget for the United Nations Relief and Works AgencyUNRWAwhich supports refugee programs. including refugee educational programsand including the type of textbooks to which I have just referred. Although as of last June we had contributed $425 million out of UN RWAs budget of $625 million. to my knowledge we have never seriously tried to stop the hate propaganda generated in the schools and in other ways among the unfortunate refugees. I regret to say Americans may have indirectly. and certainly unknowingly. subsidized the politics of hate in the Middle East. Yet. having lived in the United States for well over 50 years.
Identified stereotypes
Palestinian refugees are steeped in the politics of hate from early childhood.