Saudi Arabia’s education system is witnessing a change which at one point of time was unimaginable. This is evident from the fact that in the past five years the country has got its curriculum changed and anti-Israel and anti-Semitic content has been removed from it.
A study was undertaken by the international research and policy institute IMPACT-se in London, which looks into and analyses the contents of textbooks around the world and ensures that it is in accordance with contents of peace and tolerance that are laid down by UNESCO.
Examples of Anti-Israel and Anti-jew content that has been removed from Saudi curriculum
During the course of this research, the institute analysed at least 301 books which were published in the last five years by the Saudi ministry. After analysing the books, it was found that there was a negative attitude toward Jews, and most of the antisemitic examples in the books were completely removed. One such example is that a song about the opposition to Jewish settlement in Palestine was removed.
Another example of anti-Israel content that was removed was where the students were asked to refute Zionist claims about their connection to Palestine.
A high school history book does not have a lesson on the positive results of the first intifada and content wherein Israel was referred to as “fraudulent democracy.” was also removed.
One more example of the anti-Israel content that was removed from Saudi books is a blood libel which accused Israel of setting fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969. Israel’s reasons for starting the Six-Day War so as to take control of holy sites for Islam and Christianity in Jerusalem and oil wells in the Sinai Peninsula was also removed from the curriculum.
Meanwhile in other books, strong anti-Israel content has been toned down. and references were removed to “the Zionist enemy” and “the Israeli occupation.”
Importance of the content in Saudi textbooks
Highlighting the significance of Marcus Sheff, CEO of the research and policy institute IMPACT-se said that though all the text books hold importance. However, since Saudi Arabia is the leader of the Sunni current in Islam, the content of their textbooks holds special significance.
Eric Agassi, IMPACT-se vice president lauded the Saudi Prince for the positive changes that he was making in the content of the text books. He further said that Saudi Arabia was not merely a country and its textbooks were distributed among the Muslim communities in different parts of the world and they are studied by tens of millions of students in mosques as well as at other academic institutions.
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