Key facts
- Saudi Arabia has removed the phrase "the Muslims will never give up Jerusalem" from its school textbooks.
- The Israeli research group Impact-se praised the removal, stating it reduces hostility toward Israel.
- Passages from the Quran and Hadith, including one about Muhammad visiting a sick Jewish boy, have been removed.
- Maps in Saudi textbooks no longer explicitly label the entire territory as Palestine.
- The term "the Zionist Enemy" has been replaced with "the Israeli Occupation" in some textbooks.
Saudi Arabia has removed the phrase "the Muslims will never give up Jerusalem" from its school textbooks, a move that has been lauded by the Israeli research group Impact-se. The organization, which reviews educational materials, stated that the removal of this phrase, which implied Jerusalem was under threat and a site of struggle, is an improvement.
Impact-se's review, published at the end of July, also noted the removal of passages from the Quran and Hadith, including a well-known hadith about Prophet Muhammad visiting a sick Jewish boy who later accepted Islam. The group viewed this as a positive development, suggesting it signifies improved acceptance of religious minorities.
However, Impact-se criticized Saudi schools for continuing to teach that Islam is humanity's natural religion, a sentiment found in many major faiths. The organization also pointed out that while maps no longer explicitly label the entire territory as Palestine, Israel is still not identified on these maps. Furthermore, the replacement of "the Zionist Enemy" with "the Israeli Occupation" in a Grade 11 history textbook was deemed insufficient, as the continued use of "the Israeli Occupation" may reflect a non-recognition of Israel as a whole.
The report also highlighted a historical account in a textbook that described Zionists as "cunning and devious," referencing an alleged attempt by Chaim Weizmann to bribe Saudi founder King Abdulaziz. Impact-se found this portrayal to be conspiratorial, but the article notes that historical records, including a US State Department memorandum, support the central facts of Weizmann's offer of funds in exchange for support for a plan involving the "voluntary transfer" of Palestinians.