Texas Yearbook Stirs Outrage with ‘Palestine’ Page Downplaying Attack

A Texas high school yearbook has sparked outrage among the community, particularly its Jewish members, for including a “Times of Palestine” page that notably glosses over the ramifications of a Hamas terror assault on Israel, which claimed the lives of over 1,200 individuals, the N.Y. Post reports.

Houston’s Bellaire High School, which has a large population of Jewish students, features a section labeled “Times of Palestine” in its 2024 yearbook that omits crucial details regarding the Oct. 7 attack. The account provides a perspective of the Israel-Gaza conflict by an Arab student.

The page emerges amid tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and includes the page ostensibly as an Arab student’s narrative “of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

The school is home to more than 3,100 students.

Yafit Bar, a parent of a student at the school, first shared the page on social media. Bar’s post ignited an emotional discussion, with many expressing dismay over the school’s editorial decision.

The page lacks representation from Jewish students, a point of contention for many in the school directly affected by the terror attack and its aftermath.

Furthermore, the page’s tone of resignation — “what happened, happened” — has drawn criticism for its perceived dismissal of the gravity of the attack and its consequences, which reverberated far beyond the borders of Israel.

Despite repeated attempts, the school’s principal and yearbook advisor have not responded to requests for comment on the matter.

Palestinian militants on Oct. 7 seized approximately 250 civilians as hostages and reportedly killed about 1,200 others. Israel claims that approximately 100 captives are believed to remain in Gaza, with 30 confirmed dead, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. United Nations experts have determined that during the assault, Hamas militants perpetrated gang rapes and other acts of sexual violence against civilians.

The controversy underscores the challenges faced by educational institutions in navigating sensitive geopolitical issues while ensuring inclusivity and sensitivity to diverse perspectives among their student bodies.