A new Ukrainian history textbook, covering world history, fully supports Israel and credits Ukraine for helping establish the state. The textbook, which lists Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, won a competition among 11th-grade history textbooks and was recommended by teachers. It was printed in 165,000 copies—more than any other textbook for that grade. It is endorsed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and was printed at the expense of the government in Kyiv.
Among the hundreds of pages, 11 are dedicated to Israel and the Middle East conflict, covering the period from the end of World War II in 1945 to 2024, during the ongoing “Iron Swords” war. The book, written and edited together with Dr. Igor Schupak—responsible for Jewish history and its integration on behalf of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU)—emphasizes both the Jewish national movement’s struggle for statehood and the fact that it was the Arab side that initiated war.
The book proudly states that Ukraine helped establish the State of Israel, highlighting that in 1947, its representative to the UN (the Soviet Union and Soviet Ukraine each had one representative) voted in favor of Resolution 181 (the Partition Plan). “This was Ukraine’s role in the creation of the State of Israel,” it says. The authors also proudly note that Israel’s fourth Prime Minister, Golda Meir, was born in Kyiv.
Israel’s wars are presented sympathetically, framing them as struggles for survival against Arab states that were armed by the Soviet Union. The final section of the textbook discusses Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, the mass killings in Nova and the Gaza border region communities, and the Gaza war to destroy Hamas and return the hostages.
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“For 15 years, Hamas fighters used humanitarian aid, massive funding, and construction materials to build a communications network and underground military facilities. These were designed to hide and move terrorists, manufacture and store weapons, and hold hostages,” the book states.
In the final section of the textbook, there’s a world map showing countries and their capitals—with Jerusalem listed as the capital of Israel.
Rabbi Meir Stambler, Chairman of the Jewish Communities of Ukraine, who helped write the chapter on Israel, said: “The book is another reminder that Ukraine is a true friend of Israel—and always has been. Just recently, the Ministry of Education in Kyiv officially approved a new Holocaust education program in cooperation with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU), Yad Vashem, and the Tkuma Institute, focusing on the suffering of Jews in Europe in general and in Ukraine in particular.
It will be taught in upper grades in Ukrainian schools. This new world history textbook is another cornerstone in instilling historical truth among students in Ukraine, helping them understand the importance of Jews in their country, the terrible historical injustice of the Holocaust, and the commitment to Israel and its Jewish citizens today. In a time when the world is so dark, even a small light shines far.”