A secondary-school textbook in the United Kingdom that asked students how Israel might have been responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was removed from sale on Thursday by its publishers, who also issued an apology.
Published in 2019 by Hodder Education, the textbook “Understanding History: Key Stage 3: Britain in the Wider World, Roman Times–Present” features the question: “How could it be argued that the creation of Israel was a long-term cause of the 9/11 attacks?” The query followed a section on Israel and Palestine under the heading “Muslim Mistrust of the West, 1900-66,” according to The Jewish Chronicle.
The textbook is aimed at 11-year-olds to 13-year-olds.
Hodder Education said in a statement on Thursday, “We appreciate the phrasing of the question is not as precise as it might have been, and we are very sorry for any offence this has caused. We have removed the book from sale, we will have the content reviewed and will then reissue a revised version.”
The Board of Deputies of British Jewry called the question “dangerous.”
Board of Deputies vice president Edwin Shuker said, “It invites the students to find a link between the creation of Israel and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which feeds into a prevalent anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.”
He added, “This is an outrageous warped version of history. How this was allowed into a textbook to be used in our schools is a cause of great concern. It should immediately be withdrawn and investigated.”
