Jordanian textbooks justify the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led massacre and promote antisemitism and violent jihad, marking a troubling decline in the Hashemite Kingdom’s educational standards, an international think tank reported Monday.
A study by the London-based watchdog IMPACT-se found that nearly 300 textbooks used in the 2023–2025 curriculum “promote antisemitism, glorify violent jihad, and express strong hostility toward homosexuality.”
At the same time, and somewhat contradictorily, the materials also “generally advocate concepts of religious moderation, tolerance, and peacemaking,” the report noted.
Alarmingly, a 2024 Jordanian Grade 10 National and Civic Education textbook includes a passage that appears to justify the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. The text frames the destruction of “Israeli colonies” inhabited by “settlers” as a response to Israeli oppression—implicitly suggesting that the civilians who were attacked, murdered and kidnapped were legitimate targets, according to the study.
The report also highlights that textbooks referencing Jews in Islamic history perpetuate harmful stereotypes, portraying deceit, treachery and hostility toward Islam as inherent characteristics of Jewish people.
While the Jordanian curriculum discusses jihad as a multifaceted concept, it frequently leans toward militant interpretations. A Grade 10 Islamic Education textbook cited in the study teaches that jihad includes fighting enemies and defending the nation, with martyrdom presented as a religious ideal.
At the same time, Jordanian textbooks largely omit mention of the landmark 1994 peace treaty with Israel. When referenced, it is often portrayed as a reluctant concession to the “Israeli Occupation State,” the study found.
The curriculum also describes homosexuality as a threat to the survival of humanity.
“Jordan is both a key Western ally in the region and Israel’s long-standing peace partner,” said IMPACT-se CEO Marcus Sheff. “It is therefore particularly disappointing and concerning that Jordan’s curriculum includes some of the oldest antisemitic tropes, glorifies martyrdom, and portrays Israel with such hostility.”
