Arab Textbooks Shift Portrayal of Israel from Enemy to Partner
Across the Arab world, a significant shift is occurring in school textbooks, moving away from portraying Israel as a Western-imposed colonial entity towards recognizing it as a potential partner. This transformation, particularly evident since the early 2020s, is driven by deepening economic and security cooperation.
Egypt, once a staunch adversary, has recently updated its textbooks to reflect its evolving relationship with Israel. Following the 1978 peace treaty, relations remained largely cold until President el-Sisi's tenure, which saw a surge in mutually beneficial economic ties, notably Israel's gas exports to Egypt starting in 2018. New textbooks, supported by the World Bank in 2023, now focus on the advantages of peace and trade with Israel, viewing Tel Aviv as an important partner rather than an enemy. While these texts still support the establishment of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders and frame the 1973 October War as a victory leading to the return of Sinai, they omit mention of the Holocaust. Egyptian schools are expected to fully adopt these updated materials by 2030, marking a departure from older curricula under Mubarak that depicted Jews as treacherous and greedy.
The United Arab Emirates has gone furthest, with its textbooks since 2020 presenting Israel not just as non-hostile but as a promising partner. Notably, these Emirati texts include sections on the Holocaust, fostering empathy for survivors.
Bahrain's textbooks echo this positive portrayal of Israel. Morocco, since normalizing ties with Israel in 2020, has removed negative stereotypes about Jews, emphasizing their loyalty to the monarchy and the state, alongside historical examples of Prophet Muhammad's tolerance towards Jews.
Saudi Arabia, prior to October 7, 2023, had been preparing for normalization with Israel by revising its textbooks. Negative stereotypes about Jews were eliminated, and Israel is no longer depicted as an enemy. The kingdom even removed references to Muslim attachment to Jerusalem, signaling a shift in its regional positioning.
