Saudi Arabia has removed the word “Palestine” from maps in several school textbooks as part of recent curriculum revisions.
The changes were identified in a review of Saudi Arabia’s education system and official curriculum documents covering recent academic years.
The review examined 136 textbooks used during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. It found several changes related to Israel, Palestine and Zionism.
According to the review, some Social Studies textbooks previously labeled internationally recognized Israeli territory as “Palestine.” Revised maps now leave the territory unnamed.
The curriculum changes also include adjustments to language used when discussing Israel and Zionism. These revisions reflect a broader shift in politically sensitive content.
A Grade 11 Arabic Language textbook reportedly removed the sentence, “The Muslims will never give up Jerusalem.” The statement was replaced as part of the latest revisions.
A Grade 11 History textbook also replaced the phrase “the Zionist enemy” with “the Israeli occupation.”
The review described these changes as part of a gradual moderation of politically charged language in Saudi educational materials.
However, the revisions do not amount to formal recognition of Israel on classroom maps. The review noted that Israel remains absent from many Saudi textbook maps.
It also highlighted changes involving references to Israel as an “occupying state.” Some such references have reportedly been removed, including references to periods before 1967.
Several maps were also revised to remove the label “Palestine.” The changes have drawn attention because of their significance for how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is presented to Saudi students.
The curriculum reforms form part of wider changes introduced in Saudi Arabia since 2020. Authorities have revised or removed content across multiple subjects.
The reforms are linked to the kingdom’s efforts to modernize its education system under Vision 2030.
The latest revisions indicate that Saudi educational content is continuing to evolve. However, the changes do not appear to represent a complete shift in the country’s classroom treatment of the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
The removal of specific terms and statements could nevertheless influence how younger generations are introduced to the region’s political history and ongoing disputes.
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