Was Palestine on Google Maps? Conspiracy theorists claim otherwise

Internet users have taken to Twitter to express their fury over Palestine supposedly disappearing from both Google Maps and Apple Maps. People are left even more confused as no official statement has been released by either of the companies. This has led netizens to indulge in conspiracy theories and speculations about Palestine being supposedly removed from Google Maps due to Israel President Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent pledge to establish West Bank annexations. Read on to find out if Palestine, “Was Palestine removed from Google Maps?”

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Palestine Map: Was Palestine Removed from Google Maps?

In a 2016 interview given to a news website, a Google spokesperson revealed that there has never been a label of Palestine on Google Maps. At the time Google was facing a bug which had made the labels of West Bank’ and Gaza Strip disappear as well. The spokesperson mentioned that Google was working quickly to bring these labels back to the area. Hence, it is clear, that netizens outrage claiming that Google removed Palestine is a mere conspiracy theory, as a Palestine label never existed on the world map.

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Palestine Map: Why is Palestine not on Google Maps?

The area around Palestine has been shrouded in controversy since the 1900s. As of 2020 Palestine is a small piece of land which is roughly 2,400 square miles in size. Usually, people refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, as Palestine. However, it also includes the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Due to the long-standing Israeli- Palestinian conflict, there is no actual border between the two regions. Hence, there is often controversy over who owns the region, Israeli’s or the Palestinian’s. Many Palestinians are currently living in small settlements spread across the West Bank.

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Palestine not on Google Maps: Recent developments between Israel and Palestine

Israeli Presidents Netanyahu’s claims have triggered international criticism. Many countries are deeming Israel’s actions in the region with many countries as’ human rights violation’. The years-long Israel-Palestine conflict has begun spiralling out of control since President Netanyahu’s coalition government started moving forward with the plans to weaken the Palestinian Authority. The armed conflict in the region has also seen a spike with Palestinian youth joining militant movements.

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