Gemayel: We Will Stage ‘Educational Disobedience’ if New History Book is Approved
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Phalange Party MP Sami Gemayel slammed on Tuesday the new official history book that is being prepared to be taught at schools throughout the country, saying that it lacks objectivity and it selectively recounts historic events.
He said during a press conference: “We warn that we will stage educational disobedience if the new book is approved by cabinet because we will not allow it to be used at schools.”
“The Lebanese generations do not know their own history and where they committed mistakes and made achievements,” he continued.
“This is where history comes in and we therefore call on the government to adopt a book that takes into consideration all points of views or at least recounts events objectively,” stressed the MP.
Gemayel gave the example of the Ottoman era in Lebanon, noting that some sides may consider the period as an occupation, while others don’t.
“A people without a history or past cannot build a future or learn from past mistakes,” he stated.
“We will live in a diverse society and students should be given the opportunity to analyze events,” he added.
Furthermore, he noted that some factions in Lebanon are not even mentioned in the history book, such as the Armenians.
“It’s unacceptable that the history book only refer to one resistance, which is the one against Israel, while other powers that resisted occupation are disregarded,” Gemayel added.
Moreover, he said: “The struggles of a whole portion of the Lebanese and the martyrs they presented have been omitted from the book.”
He explained that the new history book described the 1990-2005 period in Lebanon as a time of construction after the end of the civil war.
“Some sides believe this period to be a time of occupation, hegemony, and humiliation where leaders such as Amin Gemayel and Michel Aoun were living in exile and Samir Geagea was imprisoned and Syrian army checkpoints were deployed throughout Lebanon,” said the MP.
“A million and a half Lebanese staged the 2005 Cedar Revolution and after a month and half intifada, they succeeded in ending the occupation on April 26, 2005,” he continued.
“Don’t the Lebanese have the right to remember this glorious development and name it as they like?” he asked.
“Objectivity in devising a new history book cannot be overlooked and if we want to build a future for ourselves, we have to recognize the other,” Gemayel stressed.
28 February 2012, 14:04
13
and hizbushaitan say they are keen on preventing sectarian strive :)
what a joke! they do everything to stir it......
28 February 2012, 15:25
01
grow up FT,Thank God for America as it will be a thorn in your eyes for ever, for it is powerful and the entire Arab nations including Iran will not be able to challenge it to any degree.
God bless you Sami for the people who speak the truth in Lebanon and the Kataeb party is the founding party of Lebanon with a deep rooted history since its inception the 30,s and not like the opportunists who just came about in the last few decades who take their orders from the no tie wearers.
28 February 2012, 15:39
23
Sami G did not make any reference to M8 or M14 political groups, but to what happened between February and April 2005 (& at the time dear FT, Aounists for example were part of the Cedar Revolution). It is you who got mixed up...again! ;)
As for Feltman... I don't recall Feltman pulling me out of my bed and sticking a Lebanes flag in my hands... however, I remember LBC and Future TV interviewing tens of Syrians (and filming syrian busses crossing the borders) on M8... ;)
Finally, your best joke of the day: "approving this term would be dividing the lebanese" hehehehe...
28 February 2012, 14:40
11
I got robbed last night. I told the police here in Florida, I think the suspects were Hizballah. To my disbelief, they said to me, you guys always blame things on Hizballah.
28 February 2012, 14:49
03
Well Said Sami.
The truth in Lebanese history has been altered so many times at the expense of the blood of those who have died, it really saddens me.
28 February 2012, 15:38
02
yes! hizbullah is the silly guilty in this country! he wants to impose his own view on history and we will not let this thing happen!
hizballah assassinated and kidnaped many citizens after the syrian withdrawal in 2005. And he did it with the help of the bloody syrians.
If there is a genuine resistance, it is the christian resistance from 1975 until now. So let us divide this country and leave in peace because Unity, a word that Arabs cherish but are unable to achieve, is utopic!
28 February 2012, 16:07
11
Those with a filthy history and filthy ancestors have no right to talk about history especially when they are the result of the filthy acts of their ancestors. bi3o 7akeh gheir hon ya wled el... filthy.
28 February 2012, 18:17
00
The whole history of Lebanon is wrong and full of lies and till now nobody learned anything from the mistakes that has been commited
28 February 2012, 18:59
11
Norman Finkelstein's work on Israel shows that the truth is still there to be found. I'd like to hear the history of the "National Accord".
28 February 2012, 20:13
11
I am for stating the historical truth about the criminal uncle and the collaborator grandfather who, together with the stand-up comic Camile Chamoun opened the doors wide for the Syrian intervention and occupation of Lebanon. Unlike Rafic Syria who handed the keys to Beirut to Ghazy Loubnan, the couple mentioned above handed the keys to all of Lebanon to Abdul Halim Khaddam and Rifaat al Assad, the new best friends of and best hopes for March 14.
28 February 2012, 20:13
01
yes bigdig very objective may i remind you that if it weren't for the Maronites Lebanon would not exist so before just spitting out what Mannar says read the history books that exist today specifically the time line around 1920
28 February 2012, 20:48
02
Khaye i dont understand this history book.israel has never been my enemy.my real enemy is syria.
With or without this history book.
28 February 2012, 21:32
01
We do not want to poison the minds of our kids with this Nassy garbage.
Does the new book include the rape of Beirut, or the non-payment of electricity and the bankrupting of Lebanon by the Shia?
28 February 2012, 23:12
01
So basically, the same assassins who participated in the civil war and who are in control of all these political parties are fighting now on what to write on history books?? I mean, seriously, there is no need to fight about anything!!!! History HAS NOT changed in Lebanon, the same bastards are still ruling and stealing the country guys!!!!
29 February 2012, 09:52
00
Well i am sure he wont have a problem with the book mentioning it if it mentions that the PLO were in the country practically running its affairs and receiving weapons from the Arabs. My Enemy's enemy is my friend. We have some unpatriotic Lebanese who stood by the PLO instead of standing with their Lebanese brothers and saying NO to PLO checkpoints and military bases. Let us be frank and admit that one needs to survive (the PLO were much stronger than the phalanges) one will do what they need to do to survive.. it is called the survival instinct.
29 February 2012, 12:10
00
The least faction who has the right to talk about history is hezbolla. In the sixties and seventies they were shoe-cleaning of the governing class in Lebanon. Now they are cleaning shoes of syrians and iranians. History means civilization and contribution. Not destruction, perversion, assassination, robbery and smugling.
01 March 2012, 08:02
01
Here are some facts: PLO was established in 1964, however Fatah the main component of the PLO was established in 1959. As early as 1968 the PLO had taken over army bases in the south close to the borders with Israel.The ANM (Arab National Movement which is now the PFLP created havoc and was in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq throughout the 50's at the bidding of Abdul Nasser. The Kataeb Regulatory Forces (armed branch of the Kataeb) was created in 1961 and not armed until 1963. So i think there was plenty of reason to arm by the Christians with the influx of Palestinian refugees with weapons.Again my point is the Kataeb are fine with mentioning their now cut ties to Israel if the other side admits it betrayed its countrymen and fought with a foreign power.
