"The Enemy": How Jordan's Schools Are Teaching Kids About Israel

A new report from the research organization IMPACT-se reveals that Jordan's national school curriculum contains increasingly antisemitic and anti-Israel content, including passages that legitimize the October 7 attacks by Hamas.

The study, which analyzed 294 textbooks used for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, concludes that the curriculum falls short of international standards for peace and tolerance. The report found that despite recent reforms, the educational material continues to promote themes of jihad, martyrdom, and Jewish treachery.

Justifying the October 7 Attack

A new Grade 10 textbook on National and Civic Education introduced after the October 7 attacks reportedly downplayed and justified the Hamas assault. The text referred to Israel as "the Enemy," its communities as "colonies," and its citizens as "settlers." IMPACT-se found that while this specific passage was later removed from some textbooks, it remains on the official website of the National Center for Curriculum Development.

The report also found that maps and geographical descriptions in the curriculum erase Israel entirely, labeling internationally recognized Israeli territory as "Palestine." Additionally, the peace agreement between Jordan and Israel is barely mentioned.

Antisemitic Tropes and Historical Omissions

The study concluded that Jewish people are consistently depicted in a negative light. Islamic textbooks for Grade 6 and above reportedly contain hateful messages, portraying Jewish individuals as disloyal and treacherous. A Grade 9 lesson claims that "treachery and violation of agreements" are "natural qualities" of Jews, who also share characteristics with "the Hypocrites, chief among which is lying."

The curriculum also uses economic antisemitic tropes, teaching that Jews "control the economy" of Medina through "exploitation." Furthermore, a Grade 10 history textbook on World War II fails to mention the Holocaust or other Nazi atrocities, instead describing Nazism vaguely as a "racist political movement."

Glorifying Violence

IMPACT-se noted that Jordanian textbooks often promote a militant interpretation of jihad and glorify martyrdom, especially in the context of war. While some texts link violent jihad to state-organized warfare, the report argues that the overall approach "impedes accurate understanding of the Arab-Israeli conflict, and risks cultivating contempt and fear of the 'other.'"

The study concluded that while Jordan’s textbooks "seemingly continue to advocate for the values of peace, tolerance, religious moderation and equality," they exclude both Jewish people and Israel from these values, targeting them with hateful messaging.