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The term "occupation" was us=d numerous times, said Sterle.
When questions from the =elegation were put to the prime minister, the responses were varied, Sterl= added.
"Firstly, there was complete denial that any sc=ools in the West Bank were named after terrorists. He challenged us to
che=k our information. He reiterated a number of times that our information wa= incorrect.
But when he was returned to the question by=other members of the delegation, he then went into defending the
practice =f 'honoring' terrorist-suicide bombers."
Sterle noted t=at Hamdallah was at pains to share with the group the actions of Israeli s=ldiers who have killed
numerous Palestinian youths who have done nothing m=re than throwing stones at the soldiers. He used the expression
"they are =ot here having a picnic" several times when talking about the soldiers' pr=sence.
His reasoning, said Sterle, was that Israel hono=s its "terrorists" by naming streets, buildings and airports after them.
N=mes such as Ben-Gurion, Sharon and Meir - people who, he said, killed Pale=tinians - were cited. He also mentioned
Baruch Goldstein, who killed 29 Mu=lim worshipers at prayer in Hebron.
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At one stage, said =terle, Hamdallah got a little agitated as the group continued to bring him=back to the topic of
honoring terrorists through sporting events and the e=ucation system.
The same theme of questioning was put t= the education minister, and the same answers came back to the group.
Trim=le opened the session with the process of inclusion between children from =oth sides of the Northern Ireland
conflict. The minister appeared not to b= interested in further conversation in this area, though he did say the as=istance
of the international community was needed to commence peace talks.=/span> Sterle, for whom this was not the first
Dialogue gather=ng, said that it is imperative to have the visit to Ramallah included in an Dialogue visits. "It is definitely
worthwhile for delegates to meet and =ear from the PA ," he said, and strongly recommended a briefing from
Pales=inian Media Watch before any meetings with the PA."
[The Jerusalem Post=/em>, Dec. 15, 2015)
Headline: Pyne def=nds Palestinian talks approach
<http://fi les.c=ctcdn.com/eae48109001/0bccbd 06-85a 0-4956-a 191-a359d2e0b4f8.jpg>
Pi=ture caption: Bronwyn Bishop, Christopher Pyne speaks to <=iv style="text-align: center;" align="center">the
Palestinian Educ=tion Minister (@timwilsoncomau) (Twitter)
Sub-headline: "Federal Indu=try Minister Christopher Pyne has defended the approach a delegation took =o discussions
with Palestinian authorities in the West Bank"
<=iv style="margin-left: 30px;">Source: AAP=/div> "The Federal Industry Ministe= Christopher Pyne has defended his
approach in high-level discussions in t=e West Bank at the weekend.
=span>Mr Pyne was part of a delegation of British and Australian politician= visiting Israel, before heading for talks with
Palestinian authorities in=Ramallah.
The Palestin=an Education Minister Dr Sabri Saidam told SBS News he had expected the di=cussions to focus on
education, but was surprised by the group's "explosiv=, blunt and rude" questions about Palestine's education system.
He said both Australian and Briti=h MPs asked the offensive questions.
"There was a lot of incitement I would say on behalf of the relegation meaning or implying that the Palestinians are the
ones terrorisi=g Israel when we have been subjected to the longest occupation, as I said,=of modern times," he said.
<=pan>Dr Saidam said Mr Pyne sidetracked from his Innovation portfolio to co=centrate on political discussions.
"I had hoped that the Minister of Innovation would spend some =ime talking about Innovation, Industry and Science and
I said you are now =elcome, the Ministry of Service that runs schools and manages higher=education entities, that we
should be talking education. Instead, we were =iverted to talk about political difficulties and talking about challenges
=nd he had a list of questions and they were misinformed."
In response, Mr Pyne's office sent the =ollowing statement:
"M=mbers of the delegation are responsible for their own comments and behavio=r.
"The Minister perso=ally engaged in constructive discussions centred around understanding Pale=tinian attitudes to the
peace project."
Dr Saidam said he gave the group a textbook on education =n Palestine and encouraged members to pose their same
questions to the Isr=eli Government."
(SBS, Special Broadcasting Service <http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/12/16/p=ne-defends-palestinian-talks-
approach> (Australian news age=cy), Dec. 16, 2015)
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