A Change.org petition to restore Palestine to Google Maps has garnered almost 150,000 signatures as of Monday, and people critical of the removal have taken to Twitter using the hashtag #BoycottGoogle to voice their condemnation. The journalists argued the controversial decision which is “contrary to all global norms and conventions” denies the Palestinians “right to homeland” and merely “designed to falsify history and geography”.
Advertisement
Google, the largest Internet search engine in the world, has recently come under fire after reportedly replacing the name Palestine with Israel on its Maps app.
A Change.org petition created by Zak Martin has been circulating since March 2, asking Google to recognize Palestine on its maps section. Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt are clearly marked on Google Maps, unlike the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, while Palestine is covered by a note from Wikipedia.
According to multiple reports, Google dropped Palestine as an official country on Maps on July 25. The General Assembly resolution, passed by the absolute majority with 130 countries for, 9 against and 41 abstaining, was hailed by the Palestinian leadership and regular citizens who took to streets to celebrate a milestone decision.
People reacted on Twitter using hashtags #PalestineIsHere and #BoycottGoogle.
The petition accused Google Maps of “making itself complicit in the Israeli government’s ethnic cleansing of Palestine” either on goal or inadvertently.
They want Google to feel ashamed for faking history and being unfair for no reason.
The petition says the move by search engine on the map is a grievous insult to them.
Google has not responded to the campaign and the lack of Palestine on the map persists.
An easy searching on Google Maps by the keyword “Palestine” will show a blank space within the territory of Israel.
The State of Palestine is recognised by 136 United Nations member states.
Advertisement
Google spokesperson Nathan Tyler had said, “We’re changing the name “Palestinian Territories” to “Palestine” across our products”.
