Saudi Arabia quietly removes hostile language about Israel from school textbooks

Saudi Arabia has continued to soften its portrayal of Israel in school textbooks, according to a new report by IMPACT-se, an organisation that monitors educational materials in the Middle East. The analysis reveals that overtly hostile references have been removed, language has been reworded, and maps have been updated to reflect changing diplomatic realities.

However, the report indicates that the kingdom’s educational system still presents Israel as an occupying power in certain curriculum materials, and a complete lack of recognition of the Jewish state remains evident in sections of the textbooks. The changes appear to reflect Saudi Arabia’s gradual normalization of relations with Israel, a process that accelerated following the 2020 Abraham Accords and subsequent regional diplomatic shifts.

The removal of inflammatory content from Saudi textbooks marks a significant shift from previous decades, when educational materials contained explicitly dehumanizing language about Israelis and Jews. The kingdom has faced international pressure to reform its curriculum, with critics pointing out that inflammatory religious and political content has historically been used to radicalize young people.

Whilst the modifications suggest a deliberate policy shift in Riyadh, the persistence of delegitimizing language in other parts of the curriculum indicates that the transition remains incomplete. Education experts note that comprehensive curriculum reform typically takes many years to implement fully across an entire national system, particularly when addressing deeply entrenched historical narratives.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.