Internet giant Google has been under fierce attacks from around the world this week, after replacing the name of Palestine on its maps application with Israel.
The Palestinian Journalists Front slammed Google for the move, stating that the removal of Palestine’s name from the maps was an attempt by the “Israeli scheme to establish its name as a legitimate state for generations to come” while obliterating Palestine forever.
PJF claimed the move was part of an effort to distort history and geography “as well as the Palestinian people’s right to their homeland,” and “a failed attempt to tamper with the memory of Palestinians and Arabs.”
PJF demanded that Google reverse the changes made in the maps application, since the move was “contrary to all international norms and conventions.”
The fact that there is no such entity as the State of Palestine did not come up in the attack.
A search for “Palestine” in Google Maps does yield a proper reference to the entity, but with a blank map of Israel, with the areas of Gaza, Judea and Samaria marked with a broken borderline but not mentioned by name. The information provided on the left under the title “Palestine” is:
Quick facts
The State of Palestine, also known simply as Palestine, is a de jure sovereign state in the Middle East that is recognized by 136 UN members and since 2012 has a status of a non-member observer state.
President: Mahmoud Abbas
Capital: Ramallah
Prime minister: Rami Hamdallah
For comparison, the data regarding “Israel” is:
Quick facts
Israel, a Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea, is regarded by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the biblical Holy Land. Its most sacred sites are in Jerusalem. Within its Old City, the Temple Mount complex includes the Dome of the Rock shrine, the historic Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Its financial hub, Tel Aviv, is known for Bauhaus architecture, beaches and nightlife.
Founded: May 14, 1948
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
President: Reuven Rivlin