Environmental activist Greta Thunberg stands with Gaza and is erased from Israeli school books and classrooms.
Greta Thunberg, the internationally recognized young environmental activist has drawn the ire of Israel and conservative environmentalists for her public stand in support of Palestinian justice and peace.
In 2018, at the age of 15, Thunberg organized a school strike for climate outside the Swedish parliament.
The media coverage from the strike instantly propelled her onto the international stage. In 2019, she spoke to the European Parliament, then sailed across the Atlantic to address the United Nations. Since then, she has been a permanent fixture in the climate change movement.
On October 20, Greta Thunberg posted a picture of herself with other activists in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza. The post drew immediate reaction from Israel and its supporters with false accusations of antisemitism.
Official Israeli reaction has been to erase her from Israeli classrooms.
The Israeli Education Ministry has said it will remove any reference to Thunberg from classroom books and curriculum.
Thunberg’s post of the picture also noted that the world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire. Thunberg wrote, “Week 270. Today we strike in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected."
Israel’s Education Ministry denounced the 20-year old Thunberg as a supporter of Hamas, which, of course, isn’t true.
“This stance disqualifies her from being an educational and moral role model, and she is no longer eligible to serve as an inspiration and educator for Israeli students."
Thunberg’s stand in support of Gaza and the world’s environment remains an inspiration in spite of Israel’s attempts at erasure.