Saudi Arabia textbooks revised to be more tolerant - study
Many issues that were present in previous additions of the books, some of which have been present for many years, have been either removed or at least reduced in their severity.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: DECEMBER 16, 2020 02:08Jeddah, Saudi Arabia(photo credit: NEEDPIX.COM)
In a review of Saudi Arabia's 2020-2021 curriculum, many textbooks have been found to be revised, moving from previously extreme hate filled content to the direction of moderation, the research institute IMPACT-se found. Many issues that were present in previous additions of the books, some of which have been present for many years such as antisemitism and anti-Zionism, have been either removed or at least reduced in their severity.Among the changes, the antisemitic claim that Jews control and manipulate the world to get various nefarious ends has been removed, as well as the idea that Muslims must prepare for Jihad and martyrdom, with an example that declared “Jihad in the way of Allah is the climax of Islam” was also removed.A chapter called “the Zionist danger," which dealt with various topics regarding the delegitimization of Israel's right to exist has also been removed. The chapter also included a passage about an alleged Israeli plot to expand its territory from the Nile to the Euphrates.Additional removed was a unit that condemned homosexuality as something punishable by death.While many controversial ideas were taken out of the text, the report tells of others which remained within the books.The book does not fully legitimize Israel and the Zionism is still presented as a racist political movement. Moreover, as some of the claims of supposed Israeli crimes remain, the name "Israel" itself is replaced with the term “Zionist enemy."The report notes that while hate still exists within the textbooks of the 2016-19 curriculum, moderation has begun to be introduced in small increments. While antisemitic, homophobic, sexist, and anti-Israel rhetoric can still be found within these books, their most extreme element has been toned down."Examining the trendline 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 Kingdom’s curriculum," Said IMPACT-se CEO, Marcus Sheff. "The Saudi authorities have begun a process of rooting out anti-Jewish hate, including a notorious Hadith that fueled antisemitism in the Muslim world."The report still states that moderation has been introduced and removed before, so while the change is present, more time is needed to determine whether or not it is permanent.
