Israel is omitted from the map in Middle East atlases
HarperCollins says including Israel in atlas would have been ‘unacceptable’ to their customers in the Gulf
From i24 News
The HarperCollins publishing house has omitted Israel from maps in the new atlases that it sells to English-speaking schools in the Middle East. The West Bank, however, is clearly labeled, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on Wednesday.
Collins Bartholomew, a map-publishing company that is a subsidiary of HarperCollins, told British Catholic weekly newspaper, The Tablet, that including Israel would have been “unacceptable” to their customers in the Gulf and the amendment incorporated “local preferences.”
According to the publishing house’s website, the atlas is being “developed specifically for schools in the Middle East.”
“The maps give in-depth coverage of the region and its issues,” it also states.
Bishop Declan Lang, chairman of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales Department of International Affairs, told The Tablet that the inaccurate maps will harm peace efforts.
“The publication of this atlas will confirm Israel’s belief that there exists a hostility towards their country from parts of the Arab world. It will not help to build up a spirit of trust leading to peaceful co-existence,” he said.
