Google Maps erases Palestine

[Mary Naeem]

Google Maps erases Palestine

Thousands have signed a petition urging Google to reinstate Palestine on the maps service after the worlds most used search engine came under heavy criticism following its decision to remove Palestine from its Google Maps application.

If you try to search for 'Palestine' in the app, the will redirect you to either Gaza or Jerusalem instead of showing the entire country with its name.
Over 150,000 signatories have signeda Change.org petition entitled “Google: Put Palestine on your maps” as of Monday, accusing Google Maps of “making itself complicit in the Israeli government’s ethnic cleansing of Palestine” either on purpose or inadvertently. The petition, drafted by Zak Martin, slams the omission of the UN non-member observer state’s name on the map as a “grievous insult” to Palestinians.
The group demanded Google reverse its move from July 25 when it removed Palestine’s name completely from its map application by designating all Palestinian territories as Israel. The journalists argued the controversial decision which is“contrary to all international norms and conventions” denies the Palestinians “right to homeland” and merely “designed to falsify history and geography.”
Israel continues to act with impunity and has illegally occupied the State of Palestine for decades. It has not only stolen Palestinian land but also its resources with severe violations of human rights and is the only continuous, ongoing project of colonization in the world.World Bulletin News