New Syrian Textbooks Promote Jihad and Antisemitism, Report Reveals
A new IMPACT-se report reveals that Syrian textbooks under Ahmed al-Sharaa's government promote jihad and antisemitism while removing evolution and the Big Bang theory.
The change of power in Syria has not led to a shift in attitude toward Israel and Jews, but rather to a reshaping of the ideology transmitted to the younger generation. A new report by the IMPACT-se research institute, published on Monday, reveals that textbooks in the Syrian education system under the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa promote content featuring jihad, martyrdom, and violence, alongside the negative portrayal of Israel and Jews. Concurrently, scientific content such as evolution and the Big Bang theory has been removed from the curriculum.
The report examined 130 textbooks for first through twelfth grades used during the 2025-2026 academic year, comparing the new contents with those taught under the Assad regime. According to the findings, the pan-Arab nationalism that characterized the previous government is giving way to an Islamist worldview, in which religion becomes the central component of national identity. This shift is expressed as early as the fourth grade through content glorifying self-sacrifice and religious struggle.
"For the Sake of Allah"
One of the most prominent changes found in the textbooks concerns how armed struggle and self-sacrifice are presented. The term "resistance fighters," widely used during the Assad regime, has been replaced by "jihad fighters." Martyrdom is presented as a sacrifice "for the sake of Allah," and those who die as "shaheeds" are promised "eternal life in paradise."
According to the report, textbooks also give a prominent place to figures associated with terror, including Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, after whom the military wing of Hamas is named, and Dalal Mughrabi, who participated in the 1978 Coastal Road terrorist attack. In contrast, topics concerning peace, reconciliation, and coexistence receive limited space in the curriculum.
Jews as the "Enemy"
Despite the change in power, hostility toward Israel and Jews remains a central component of the textbooks. According to the report, Jews are described using antisemitic stereotypes, including treachery, disloyalty, and hostility, which are sometimes presented as permanent traits. Their national identity is denied, and they are described as "a mixture of peoples rather than a single nation."
Israel continues to be presented as an illegitimate state, and textbooks use terms such as "the enemy,the usurper," and "filth." According to the researchers, Palestinian violence is justified, while peace agreements with Israel are portrayed negatively.
At the same time, the research identifies a shift regarding the Golan Heights. While the issue was previously presented as a central part of the conflict between Syria and Israel, in the new textbooks it receives less attention and is portrayed as part of a broad array of Muslim territories under occupation, according to the curriculum.
Evolution Erased, Women Pushed Aside
Alongside political and religious content, the report points to significant changes in science education and the representation of women and minorities. According to the researchers, content dealing with evolution and the Big Bang theory was removed from textbooks as part of aligning the curriculum with the religious worldview of the new leadership.
The representation of women has also changed. In the new books, they are portrayed primarily in traditional family roles, foremost as mothers, and appear more frequently in conservative Islamic attire. Researchers identify this as a narrowing of the diverse roles attributed to women in Syrian society.
Meanwhile, lessons dealing with religious tolerance have been removed or altered. Christians are still presented as part of Syrian society, but their status is described as subordinate to Islam and its laws. Other minorities, including Kurds and Druze, receive almost no representation in the curriculum. Symbols associated with Shia and Alawite Islam are also presented critically.
Iran and Hezbollah Become Enemies
Another prominent change concerns the portrayal of the Assad regime and its former allies. The cult of personality surrounding the Assad family was removed from textbooks, and in its place, Hafez al-Assad and his son Bashar are presented as corrupt, authoritarian, and destructive rulers. The uprising that began in 2011 is presented as a moral and just struggle to liberate Syria.
Iran and Hezbollah, which previously received positive descriptions due to their support for the Assad regime, are now presented as enemies and accomplices to its crimes. Conversely, Turkey receives a more favorable attitude. For example, the Hatay province, which was once part of Syria, is shown on maps as part of Turkey, while critical references to the Ottoman rule period have been removed.
Attitudes toward Western powers also remain negative. Europe is described as backward during the Middle Ages and driven by colonial interests in later periods. France and Britain are linked to exploitation, plunder, and the struggle against the Arabic language, while the United States is presented as an imperial and violent power that operated in Iraq to seize its oil resources and supports Zionism.
According to the report's findings, the Syrian education system is not content with merely removing the legacy of the Assad regime, but is actively promoting a broad ideological shift in the content transmitted to students. Researchers warn that the transition from a nationalist concept to an Islamist perspective, alongside the continued negative portrayal of Jews, Israel, and minorities, raises serious concerns regarding education for tolerance and coexistence in the country.
