LONDON: Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has called for the genocide in Gaza to be taught in schools.

The 22-year-old, speaking while participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla that is delivering humanitarian aid to Palestine, said: “I think (schools) should bring up early warning signs of genocide, such as the Holocaust, and apply those to what we are currently seeing to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“The current education systems have absolutely failed us in teaching an understanding of the historic times we are living in.”

Teaching pupils about the Holocaust as part of the high school history curriculum is a legal requirement in England. Schools also mark Holocaust Memorial Day on Jan. 27 in commemoration of the millions of people murdered during the Second World War by the Nazis, as well as the victims of later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

Thunberg said that she had been inspired by the example of British people who have protested against the UK government ban on the activist group Palestine Action, The Times newspaper reported.

“I’m very inspired by the huge mobilization that has been happening in the UK for the people of Palestine, which I think we can learn a lot from. People of all ages, not only student encampments but also those brave people who might face terror charges just by saying they support Palestine Action.

“I didn’t learn about what was going on in Palestine in school because it was always portrayed as a conflict.

“Then, when you discover that this is a genocide, this is an occupation, an apartheid, ethnic cleansing, then it is not at all what we have been taught in school.”

International law defines genocide as actions undertaken with the intent to destroy, partly or as a whole, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group.

The UK government concluded this week that Israel’s actions in Gaza do not constitute genocide. However, a UN special committee previously found the actions to be “consistent with the characteristics of genocide.” Thunberg said it is now “undeniable” that a genocide is happening in Gaza.