Demagogue

Nina Shea, director of the Center for Religious Freedom at Freedom House, wrote this article in Sunday's Washington Post:

Saudi Arabia's public schools have long been cited for demonizing the West as well as Christians, Jews and other "unbelievers." But after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis -- that was all supposed to change.

... the Saudi government has claimed repeatedly that it has revised its educational texts. .... A year ago, an embassy spokesman declared: "We have reviewed our educational curriculums. We have removed materials that are inciteful or intolerant towards people of other faiths." The embassy is also distributing a 74-page review on curriculum reform to show that the textbooks have been moderated.

The problem is: These claims are not true.

Among the disgusting examples that Shea offers are this excerpt from an 8th grade Saudi textbook:

"As cited in Ibn Abbas: The apes are Jews, the people of the Sabbath; while the swine are the Christians, the infidels of the communion of Jesus."

... as well as this example from a Saudi textbook:

"They are the Jews, whom God has cursed and with whom He is so angry that He will never again be satisfied [with them]."