Saudi Arabia textbooks revised to be more tolerant – study

In a study of Saudi Arabia’s 2020-2021 curriculum, many textbooks were revised, moving from previously full-fledged content to regulatory direction, the IMPACT research institute found. Many of the issues that were present in previous additions of the books, some of which have been present for several years such as antisemitism and anti-Zionism, have either been removed or at least reduced as they are severe. In addition to the changes, the antisemitic claim that the world was controlled and manipulated to remove various nefarious boundaries, as well as the idea that Muslims must prepare for Jihad and martyrdom, exemplified state that “Jihad in the way of Allah is the highest level of Islam” is also removed. A chapter entitled “The Zionist threat,” which dealt with a number of issues regarding the devolution of Israel’s right to exist was also removed. The chapter also included a passage about the alleged Israeli plot to extend its territory from the Nile to the Euphrates.Additional it was removed as a unit that criticized homosexuality as something that could be punished with death. While many controversial comments have been removed from the text, the report tells of others who stayed within the books. The book does not give Israel full legitimacy and Zionism is still portrayed as a racist political movement. Moreover, as some of the allegations regarding Israel’s crimes appear to be, the name “Zionist enemy” replaces the name “Israel” itself.

The report notes that while there is still hatred in the 2016-19 curriculum textbooks, moderation has begun to take hold in small increments. While antisemitic, homophobic, sexist, and anti-Israel astronomy are still to be found within these books, their longest-lasting element is diminished. “Examining the movement of our 2002, 2008 and even 2019 reports of the Saudi curriculum, it is clear that these new 2020 textbooks represent an institutional effort to modernize the United Kingdom curriculum,” said IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff. “Saudi authorities have begun a process to eradicate anti-Semitic hatred, including a famous Hadith who promoted antisemitism in the Muslim world. “The report still states that moderation has been introduced and removed previously, so while the change is present, more time is needed to determine whether it is permanent or not. .

Source