In a positive development for the region, Saudi Arabian textbooks have undergone revisions for the 2023/24 school year. The new curriculum aims to promote tolerance, peace, and equality by removing references to Jews as monkeys and pigs, eliminating descriptions that portray Jews as enemies of Islam and excluding false accusations against Israel such as the blame for the 1969 fire at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
While the word “Palestine” has been deleted from maps and sections discussing locations within Israel, references to the Holocaust remain absent, and Israel does not appear on the maps. These changes are seen as promising developments towards a greater understanding and cooperation in the region.
According to Marcus Sheff, CEO of IMPACT-se, these changes in the Saudi curriculum are encouraging and support a future of greater understanding and cooperation in the region. The Institute’s deputy director Eric Agassi emphasizes the importance of presenting information free from hatred and incitement to violence.
However, despite recent efforts to advance normalization with Saudi Arabia, tensions between Riyadh and Israel remain high. Recent criticisms from Saudi Arabia condemn ongoing atrocities committed by Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people, particularly focusing on events in Rafah. The Kingdom holds Israel responsible and accuses them of violating humanitarian norms and laws.
