Saudi Arabia has removed the word “Palestine” from maps in several school textbooks, leaving areas corresponding to internationally recognized Israeli territory unnamed, according to a review of the kingdom’s education system and official documents seen by RBN.
The findings are detailed in the Review of Saudi Textbooks 2024–2026, which examined 136 textbooks used during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years.
Changes to Maps and Israel References
The review found that Saudi authorities have continued revising curriculum content concerning Israel, Zionism and the Palestinian issue.
Several Social Studies textbooks that previously identified internationally recognized Israeli territory as “Palestine” now show those areas without a label. Other maps have also been amended to remove the “Palestine” designation.
The revisions extend beyond maps. A Grade 11 Arabic Language textbook has removed the statement, “The Muslims will never give up Jerusalem.”
A Grade 11 History textbook has also replaced the phrase “the Zionist enemy” with “the Israeli occupation.”
The review describes the changes as part of a broader effort to moderate politically charged language in Saudi educational material.
Israel Still Absent From Many Maps
The report notes that the changes do not represent a uniform decision to identify Israel on Saudi classroom maps.
Israel remains unnamed on many maps, while references describing Israel as an “occupying state” have also been removed or revised, including references to periods before 1967.
The review says the revisions reflect an evolving approach to how Saudi textbooks address Israel, Zionism, Jerusalem and Palestine.
Part of Wider Saudi Education Reforms
The latest changes are part of a broader overhaul of Saudi educational content that has accelerated since 2020.
According to the review, Saudi authorities have removed, revised or softened material across various subjects as the kingdom continues its education reforms under Vision 2030.
The textbook changes point to a continued shift toward less politically charged terminology while retaining some longstanding elements of Saudi curriculum treatment of Israel and the Palestinian issue.
