Egypt defends school maps omitting Israel

An Egyptian official has defended the inclusion of Palestine in national school curricula following reports from Israeli media regarding a map that omits Israel. The map, which appeared in materials for Egypt’s new baccalaureate secondary education program, depicts Palestine occupying the geographic extent of historic Palestine adjacent to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, without mentioning Israel.

Israeli Channel 14 reported on the map, suggesting the omission raises questions regarding the 1979 peace treaty and mutual recognition between the two nations. While the report noted that the publication alone does not establish a legal violation of the Camp David Accords, it urged the Israeli Foreign Ministry to intervene.

In response, an Egyptian official stated that Palestine has always been represented in Egyptian educational materials and that no changes have been made to the curriculum. Military experts cited in the reports described the materials as a representation of historical facts rather than a reflection of contemporary political agreements.