Jordanian school textbooks still rife with antisemitism and violent jihad, watchdog finds

A review of 125 Jordanian school textbooks for the 2025-26 academic year has found that despite the introduction of 32 new textbooks, Jordan's national curriculum largely maintains the same patterns of antisemitism, justification of violence, and discriminatory attitudes. This is according to the London-based educational watchdog IMPACT-se, which analyzed the materials against UNESCO-derived standards of peace and tolerance in education. They found that newly developed content reflects the same problematic themes as earlier material rather than marking a departure from them.

The report finds that while religious moderation and tolerance are major themes within the curriculum, these values are not consistently applied across all groups and contexts. Jewish people and Israel are frequently excluded from such frameworks entirely. Jewish people are portrayed overwhelmingly negatively, particularly in the context of early Islamic history, with lying, treachery, and hostility to Islam described as "natural qualities" and inherent "traits of the Jews."

From Grade 6, Islamic education textbooks presenting the life of Muhammad associate Jewish characters with hostility or immoral behavior, such as "attempting to harm the Prophet and Muslims." They are also described as people who defraud others of money, and in each case the characters are explicitly identified as Jewish, often simply labeled as "the Jews." This suggests that such misconduct is inherently linked to their identity.

A Grade 12 Islamic Education textbook associates Jews with economic exploitation by linking their alleged control of markets to monopoly, fraud, and usury. A newly published history textbook, first introduced this year, teaches that Jews used their global influence to support Britain during World War I and that German Jews undermined their own country's war efforts in return for the Balfour Declaration, indicating that antisemitic content is not only present in older textbooks but is actively being reproduced in new editions.

Regarding the Holocaust, a newly published textbook mentions crimes committed against Jews during World War II for the first time, though it provides almost no detail about their nature or scope. Jews are also grouped alongside Roma, Russians, and Japanese, and the textbook refers broadly to the deaths of "millions," implying a comparable level of victimhood. A separate lesson about World War II in another textbook makes no reference to the Holocaust at all.

Israel is routinely erased from maps across the curriculum, with internationally recognized Israeli territory labeled as "Palestine." No map across the curriculum acknowledges Israel's existence. Zionism is described as a racist or malicious ideology and a Western-backed conspiracy to divide the Arab world. Seven textbooks, including ones first published this year, falsely attribute responsibility for the 1969 arson of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to Israel or to an "extremist Jew."

The 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty is framed not as a diplomatic achievement but as a reluctant move by Jordan to curb Israeli expansionist "greedy aspirations." One textbook describes the communities within Israeli sovereign territory targeted in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack as "settlements." According to the report, this framing may indirectly imply that violence against them is justifiable while applying harsher criticism to Israel's response than to the attack itself.

Violent interpretations of jihad predominate throughout the curriculum as well. A Grade 3 Arabic Language workbook, first published this academic year, compares martyrdom in battle to a wedding celebration and teaches that all of Jordan's sons "seek martyrdom." Textbooks present Jordanian soldiers who died fighting Israel as heroes and role models, occasionally using graphic language describing martyrs' blood as "watering" Palestinian or Jordanian soil.

The review notes a small number of positive developments. Christians are presented as an integral part of Jordanian society, with their beliefs, holidays, and holy sites covered factually and respectfully. Women are increasingly depicted in professional and leadership roles. Some textbooks also contain positive examples of tolerance towards Jews drawn from early Islamic history, including lessons on the Charter of Medina.

IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff said the persistence of such content was "especially alarming" given Jordan's role as a Western ally and one of Israel's longest-standing peace partners. "Despite the publication of new material for the current school year, far too many of the same problematic themes remain unchanged, standing in direct contradiction to the moderation and coexistence Jordan promotes to the world," he said.