Almost one million people have signed a petition calling on the internet search engine giant, Google, to put Palestine on its maps.
“Palestine does not appear on Google maps. Why not? Israel, established on Palestinian land, is clearly designated. But there is no mention of Palestine. According to Google, Palestine does not exist,” wrote the petition.
“The omission of Palestine is a grievous insult to the people of Palestine and undermines the efforts of the millions of people who are involved in the campaign to secure Palestinian independence and freedom from Israeli occupation and oppression.”
The petition stressed the importance of having Palestine in the Google Maps since it is regarded as definitive by people around the world, including journalists, students and others carrying out research into the Israel-Palestine situation.
“Whether intentionally or otherwise, Google is making itself complicit in the Israeli government’s ethnic cleansing of Palestine,” said the petitioners, calling on Google “to recognize Palestine in Google Maps, and to clearly designate and identify the Palestinian territories illegally occupied by Israel.”