Israel praises Saudi Arabia for removing phrase about Muslim claim over Jerusalem from textbooks

An Israeli research organisation has praised Saudi Arabia for removing the phrase “the Muslims will never give up Jerusalem” from school textbooks, describing it as part of broader changes to how the kingdom teaches Islam, Palestine and Israel.

The review, published by Israeli research group Impact-se at the end of July, examined changes made to Saudi Arabia’s curriculum and highlighted revisions related to religion, historical narratives and references to Israel.

“The statement implied that Muslim control over or presence in Jerusalem was under threat,” the report said.

It added that the phrase “could be interpreted as framing Jerusalem as a site of ongoing struggle between Muslims and other groups, particularly Israel.”

The report was released as Israeli politicians continue calling for the demolition of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the construction of a Jewish temple at the site.

On Monday, Israeli authorities formally allowed Israeli settlers to perform Jewish prayers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem for the first time, changing a decades-old arrangement governing the site.

Impact-se also stated that all examples it classified as antisemitic had been removed from Saudi textbooks.

The organisation described the removal of passages from the Quran and Hadith as a “positive development”.

Among the changes highlighted in the report was the removal of a Hadith that recounts Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) visiting a sick Jewish boy who later accepted Islam.

“The removal of this example in the 2025 edition marks an improvement in the acceptance of religious minorities, as students are no longer taught that unbelief in Islam leads to damnation,” the report said.

The organisation also welcomed the shortening of Quranic verses dealing with disbelief and sin but criticised Saudi schools for continuing to teach students that Islam represents humanity’s natural religion.

The report also examined changes to maps and terminology used in textbooks.

According to Impact-se, earlier editions labelled the entire territory as Palestine and did not identify Israel. In the 2024-25 editions, Saudi authorities removed the Palestine label.

“While Israel is still not identified on these maps, the revision removes the explicit designation of the entire territory as Palestine,” the report stated.

A Grade 11 history textbook also replaced the term “the Zionist Enemy” with “the Israeli Occupation”.

Impact-se argued that the revision did not go far enough.

“While the change of terminology reduces hostility toward Israel, the use of the term ‘the Israeli Occupation,’ especially as it appears to refer to Israel as a whole rather than specific territories, continues to reflect a position of non-recognition of Israel,” it said.

The report was released against the backdrop of the Israeli government’s continued rejection of Palestinian statehood.

“There will not be a Palestinian state. It’s very simple: it will not be established,” Israeli Prime Minister (PM) Benjamin Netanyahu said in November.

Impact-se also criticised Saudi textbooks for describing Zionists as “cunning and devious”.

One textbook recounts an account involving Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann, who later became Israel’s first president, and Saudi founder King Abdulaziz.

According to the textbook, Weizmann attempted to persuade Ibn Saud to “abandon the issue of Palestine” and stop being “a major obstacle to the Zionist movement’s ambitions”.

The textbook described Ibn Saud’s response, which referred to Weizmann’s “criminal audacity”.

Impact-se argued that the account portrayed Zionists in a conspiratorial manner and encouraged negative views of the movement.

However, historical records cited by the publication show that Weizmann proposed raising between three and four million pounds Sterling in exchange for support for a plan that would have transferred Palestinians to Transjordan and Iraq.

The report also noted that Impact-se has long campaigned for changes to school textbooks across the Middle East and has repeatedly called on Palestinian and Arab education systems to explicitly recognise Israel.

Following the publication of the report, the organisation wrote on X: “We appreciate Saudi Arabia’s continued efforts to improve school curricula, including work to address concerning themes in textbooks.”

“The portrayal of Israel and Zionism continues the gradual moderation documented in previous IMPACT-se reports,” it added.