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Emotions run high as Twitter users demand Palestine to be added to Google Maps

Manaal Khurram

People world over expressed their dismay, anger and disappointed when news about Palestine being removed from Google Maps made headlines yesterday. Social media users accused the media giant and shared screenshots of an outline of the map with the labels for West Bank, Gaza Strip and Israel in place. However, there was no Palestine on Google Maps as well as Apple Maps. A similar controversy erupted back in 2016, when a Google spokesperson clarified that “there has never been a ‘Palestine’ label on Google Maps.” While many Twitter users have come out to support the web mapping service, others have lashed out against it for reasons more than one. Here is what Twitter users have to say!

Pakistani personality Waqar Zaka tweeted in support of Google Maps, clarifying that the main problem lies in convincing superpowers such as the United States to accept Palestine as a separate entity. “Google map never had Palestine in its database. In the past, when exactly did you see it on google maps? Issue is to push USA and other powers to accept Palestine & give their land back otherwise disputed areas are never shown in digital map apps #WeRejectWorldMap,” he wrote. “Google didn’t remove Palestine, it was never there in the first place. You can verify this through the spokespeople of Google yourself,” stated a user. However, one disappointed user posted, “Can’t believe I live in a time where I’ve just witnessed Palestine being literally erased from the map #FreePalestine,” alongside an image of the Google Maps navigator showing ‘No Results’ for Palestine.

Others called out the United Nations and other international peace-making bodies. One user penned, “This is sad reality of this world where people know what’s happening to Uyghur Muslims, Palestine, and Kashmiri Muslims but nobody talks about them! Why! Why do these “peace makers” not talk about these people. What is their crime?” A heartbroken user named Bisma Sajjad replied saying, “#WeRejectWorldMap They can remove Palestine from the maps but they can never remove it from our hearts.” Jews in NYC could also be seen marching and standing in solidarity with Palestine in videos that have surfaced on the net. Posting a collage, another tweeted, Google and Apple have removed #Palestine from their maps, something the Israeli occupation has been wishing since long time! Denying Palestinians their identity, their sovereignty, their human rights, even erasing the name of their motherland from maps, is surely ethnic cleansing.”

A string of social media users have also started a petition to get Palestine back on the map. One posted, Google Maps and Apple Maps have removed Palestine from worldwide maps. But how can they remove their history,their pain,their suffering and the truth. Palestine will rise InshaAllah.” The hash tag ‘We Reject the World Map’ has also been making waves on the micro-blogging site. Speaking about the same, one user posted, #WeRejectWorldMap Google and Apple have removed the Palestinian state from the world map. Can removing the map erase the truth? Whether it is Palestine or Kashmir, their maps are imprinted on our hearts. Enemies will disappear. These maps will not disappear.” The Google Maps controversy has sprung a bevy of emotions from people across the globe. Let’s all hope and pray for a peaceful world!

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