The new textbooks in Syria of course eliminate all praise, direct and indirect, of the Assad family, father and son, but when it comes to Israel and Jews, those textbooks remain unchanged: “New Syrian government issues textbooks filled with antisemitism and praise for terrorists,” by Jane Prinsley, Jewish Chronicle, February 7, 2025:
Multiple maps in a geography textbook for 14 – 15-year-olds present all of Israel’s internationally recognised territory as Palestine. The Israel-controlled Golan Heights are presented as part of Syria, and the textbook cover features an image of the Sea of Galilee, which is located within Israeli territory, potentially suggesting that the lake, or parts of it, belong to Syria.
It’s unclear whether Israel is depicted as existing within the 1949 armistice lines, or if has been effaced altogether. What is clear is that the Israel that now exists is not shown on those maps.
Some historical women have been removed, including references to Nazik al-Abid, known as the “Joan of Arc of the Arabs”, Queen Zenobia and Khawla bint al-Azwar, in Islamic education and social studies textbooks for children aged eight to nine years old….
In the new schoolbooks, the role of women in Arab history is being deliberately downplayed; for Islam relegates women to a lower rank than men. In the 20th century, Nazik al-Abid obtained her fame as a defender of women’s rights; this is not a cause that the new Islamic regime would favor. Queen Zenobia dates from the 3rd century A.D., which means she lived during the Time of Ignorance, the Jahaliyya, so is hardly someone to emulate or admire. And Khawla bint al-Azwar, a warrior during the time of the Rashidun, believed that Ali was the first rightly-guided caliph, making her in effect a Shi’a, and she would naturally have no place in the schoolbook pantheon of the new, uber-Sunni regime in Damascus.
The watchdog also found that some “secular scientific concepts perceived to be un-Islamic” have been removed. An entire chapter in a biology textbook for 13 – 14-year-olds on evolution has been removed.
All devout Muslims know that “evolution” is only a “theory.” And since evolution is contradicted by Islamic teachings, it is best to put off teaching it to students until they can be “Islamically” prepared to withstand its appeal,
“Martyrdom” will be reframed in the new textbooks from a national to a religious perspective. One year 10 lesson will glorify martyrdom as an exalted deed worthy of reward by Allah, by replacing the term “a person giving away his soul to defend his homeland” with “a person giving away his soul for the sake of Allah.”
The nationalist message has been eliminated, to be replaced by an Islamic one: children are not told to sacrifice for the “homeland” of Syria but to become, rather, martyrs for the sake of Allah. And what is to be done “for the sake of Allah”? Sacrificing yourself to promote the spread of Islam, expanding the umma, and killing Infidels. Just like Dalia al-Mughrabi, who was killed during the Coastal Road Massacre, in which she helped to murder 38 Israeli civilians, including 13 children. Al-Mughrabi is in the new textbooks, held up as a model to be emulated.
The main backer of al-Jolani’s rebel group HTS in its war against Assad was Erdogan’s Turkey. Turkey is still the main foreign backer of the new regime in Damascus, though there may later be a parting of the ways if Turkey insists on keeping a military presence in northern Syria to suppress the Kurds. But right now, Turkey is a friend, and the Ottomans need to be referred to without animus. Thus, the Ottoman “occupation” mentioned in Assad-era textbooks has now become the Ottoman “regime,” which is not pejorative but simply matter-of-fact.
There is also no more emphasis on Syria itself, as was found in previous textbooks. Now the focus is squarely on Islam, and the worldwide umma. Statements against Jews remain, as do those against all the Western powers — warmongers and exploiters who suck the “blood of the innocents.”
Al-Jolani’s repeatedly expressed desire to focus only on Syria, making sure that all of its armed groups give up their weapons and become part of a national army, his unwillingness to try to pressure Israel to withdraw from the territory it has just taken over on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, and his obvious indifference to the Palestinians, about whom he has had nothing to say, are all reassuring. But then there are those new schoolbooks, just released, that have become even more Islamic in their contents, and that will influence the minds of Syrian children, whose Islam-infused curriculum will lead some of them inexorably to become jihadis themselves.
The Israelis, who continue to hold back from responding to what some have taken to be overtures made by al-Jolani to the Jewish state, are right to do so. If you are wondering why, just look at what remains and what has been changed, for the worse, in the new textbooks no to be used in Syrian schools; Impact-se lays it all out.
Tony says
Islam is a murderous, totalitarian system of deceit and discrimination, and Muslims will lie and deceive to defend and to protect the truth about Muslim terrorism, discrimination, violence, hatred, etc.
Like a Foreign Terrorist Organization(FTO) designated by the USA Secretary of State, Islam is a MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATION(MTO) against Non-Muslims and NOT A PEACEFUL RELIGION UNDER WESTERN LAWS because Islam funds, teaches, and promotes a Terrorist, Criminal Organization with Muslims as Terrorists for Allah(Quran 2:216; 4:95; 8:12,39,74; 9:5,29,41,49, 21:921; 88,111,123;21:92; 49:15 and more). More specifically, Islam is a Muslim Terrorist Ideology and Murderous, Criminal Enterprise of Intolerance, continuous war, discrimination, segregation, supremacy, genocide, polygamy, propaganda, deceit, hatred, incitement, sedition, rape, terrorism, and violence against all Non-Muslims as taught in the Quran.
Non-Muslims CANNOT have peace with Islam and its Muslims because Islam and its murderous god, Allah, demand a continuous Muslim war, a religious duty, against unbelievers where Non-Muslims are CRIMINALS under Islam when Allah in Qur’an 8:39 says, “And engage in war with them[Non-Muslims] until there will not be sedition and the religion will be completely to Allah…” HENCE, NON-MUSLIMS MUST MAKE ISLAM, ITS MOSQUES, ITS SCHOOLS, ITS ORGANIZATIONS, ETC. ILLEGAL UNDER THE LAW. Similarly, Islam and its many Organizations must be identified and publicly declared to be MUSLIM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS for their funding, teaching, and support of terrorism, violence, and discrimination against Non-Muslims(eg. Quran 9:5,29,111 and more).
The FRUIT of Islam is incessant WAR, terrorism, discrimination, slavery, malice, ISLAMIZATION, and violence against all Non-Muslims; this FACT must be taught and broadcast to the general public to prohibit Islam, its Mosques, its Courts, and its Schools. Also, Islam is an Antichrist System terrorizing Israel, Christians, and Non-Muslims(Quran 3:54; 5:51 and more). Plus, there is NO EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW in Islam or in Islamic Law(Quran 5:51; 9:29; 98:6-7 and more). In Sahih Bukhari(V6,B60,N80), Abu Huraira narrates, “‘You(Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised for mankind.’ means, the best of peoples for the people, as you bring them[Non-Muslims] with chains on their necks till they embrace Islam[see Quran 3:110].” See also Quran 3:22,151; 69:30-32; 98:6.
Western Muslims seek to expand Islam’s legality into the West’s Legal Systems and to advance Islam’s totalitarian, discriminatory goals to conquer the West. Consequently, Islam promotes a limitless, terroristic, Muslim war against unbelievers when Allah in Qur’an 49:15 says, “Surely the believers are only those who believed in Allah and his messenger. They do not doubt, and they performed JIHAD with THEIR MONEY AND THEIR LIVES for the sake of Allah. Those are the truthful.”
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Ahmad al-Shara”a may be an improvement of sorts over Assad for Israel, but that’s no reason for them to trust him. The only thing different now is that Iran is completely banned from Syria. However, Turkey is there, and it’s in some ways more, rather than less, dangerous
Israel needs to resume operations against Hamas, and once done, resume operations against Hizbullah and completely clear southern Lebanon. In fact, weaken Hizbullah so badly that they are forced to flee, maybe to Iraq or Yemen
John Pepple says
Ha! Ages ago someone told me that Arabs call the Persian Gulf the “Arab Gulf,” and I can see from their map that it’s true.