Saudi Arabia has reportedly deleted the phrase “the Muslims will never give up Jerusalem” and certain religious texts from its school curriculum, which drew praises from an Israel-based research organization and other Israeli media.
The group, Impact-se, published its review of Saudi textbooks in late July. The report described the deletion of the Jerusalem phrase positively, noting that the earlier wording implied Muslim control over the city was under threat and could be interpreted as framing Jerusalem as a site of ongoing conflict with Israel.
The review also welcomed the removal of a well-known hadith about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) visiting a sick Jewish boy who later converted to Islam.
The 2025 edition of the textbooks no longer includes that example, which Impact-se said “marks an improvement in the acceptance of religious minorities.”
The changes come as Israeli politicians have increasingly called for the construction of a Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third-holiest shrine. Saudi officials have not publicly commented on the curriculum revisions.
