Social media users have taken to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to express outrage over the supposed removal of Palestine from both Google and Apple maps.
One user wrote about how Google were attempting to “erase a country” (@putaetu on Twitter) while others shared a petition to rectify the issue.
However, when investigating it is easy to discover that Palestine has not been removed, it never existed on the Google map or Apple map software. This is not the first time the controversy has sparked debate on social media.
Palestine is currently only partially recognised. 138 of 193 United Nation members recognise Palestine as an independent state however the USA is one of the western countries which does not. Both Apple and Google are US registered companies which may go some of the way to explain why the maps do not recognise Palestine.
The issue of Palestine’s international recognition has been a concern ever since the state claimed independence on the 15th of November 1988. To date the UK is also among many western countries to not recognise Palestine’s independence. There have been numerous attempts in the UK to have Palestine officially recognised, notably Jeremy Corbyn rallied for this in the lead up to the 2019 general election.
The UK Government have released an official response to the public call: “The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. We need to see a negotiated settlement.” (Petitions – UK Government and Parliament – 7th July 2020)
Google have previously addressed issues concerning labelling of the region in 2016 by responding that “there has never been a ‘Palestine’ label on Google Maps, however we discovered a bug that removed the labels for ‘West Bank’ and ‘Gaza Strip.’ We’re working quickly to bring these labels back to the area”. (Engadget – ‘Google explains why Palestine isn’t labeled in Maps’ 08/10/2016)
The future of Palestine as an independent state is uncertain, but social media is drawing attention to the issue now more than ever. The enormous effects of an online movement have already been felt this year in light of Black Lives Matter and#MeToo. It will be interesting to see how social media will shape politics and law in regards to state recognition too.
The Legal Read 