Scottish teachers vow to continue teaching “Gaza genocide” after UKLFI allegations

A group of Scottish educators has firmly rejected accusations from a pro-‘Israel’ lobby organisation, insisting it will continue teaching about Palestine and the war in Gaza on the basis of evidence and international law.

Educators for Peace (EFP), also referred to as Teachers for Peace, a voluntary network of teachers and lecturers, issued the response after “UK Lawyers for Israel” (UKLFI) circulated a 50-page dossier to the Scottish Government, Education Scotland, local authorities and the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

UKLFI accused the group of promoting politically biased and “anti-Israel” materials in schools, including resources that present the situation in Gaza as genocide and address the Nakba.

EFP described the allegations as “distortions and misrepresentations of our position.”

A spokesperson told The National: “We reject UKLFI’s allegations entirely as distortions and misrepresentations of our position. We will not be intimidated into silence by bad actors in the face of genocide, fascism, racism and global injustice. We remain committed to supporting educators across Scotland to teach for peace and justice.”

The group argued that its work does not breach professional neutrality.

Instead, it distinguishes between evidence-based teaching and a false equivalence that treats verified findings and contested claims as equally valid.

It noted that recognised genocides, such as those in Rwanda and Srebrenica, are taught according to historical evidence without giving equal weight to perpetrators’ narratives, and said the same standard should apply to Gaza.

EFP cited the September 2025 findings of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe ‘Israel’ had committed acts amounting to genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The educators maintained that teachers are entitled to draw on conclusions from credible international bodies while acknowledging that some governments dispute the assessment and that legal processes continue.

UKLFI has characterised EFP materials as spreading “hate and misinformation” and raising safeguarding concerns for Jewish pupils.

It has called on authorities to confirm they do not endorse the group’s resources, investigate teacher involvement, remind schools of impartiality duties and consider referrals where appropriate.

Some councils, including Fife and East Ayrshire, advised schools not to engage with EFP materials on a precautionary basis after receiving the dossier.

EFP has sought legal advice from the European Legal Support Centre over concerns about harassment, defamation and data protection.

It accused UKLFI of an “organised smear campaign” and “lawfare” tactics aimed at silencing discussion of Palestine.