China has deleted Israel from its web maps as the situation in Gaza escalates. Users have stated that the online digital map giants Baidu and Alibaba have removed Israel from their systems.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the occurrence. According to the WSJ, the digital maps on Baidu depict the demarcations between Israel and the Palestinian territories but do not name the country.
The same was observed in Alibaba’s Amap, where “even small countries like Luxembourg are clearly marked.”
As of now, the corporations have not answered as to why Israel was deleted from the maps. The causes of this uncertainty have also been related to China’s ambiguous position on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In a phone chat between China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Israeli colleague Eli Cohen, Beijing supports Israel’s right to self-defense following the October 7, 2023, assault.
However, the foreign minister emphasized that self-defense must be conducted in accordance with international humanitarian standards.
When the war began on October 7, 2023, China did not officially criticize the Hamas attacks but instead urged both sides to work quickly to restore peace and safeguard civilians.
China also repeated its support for the two-state solution, claiming that the only way to resolve the problem would be to establish an independent Palestinian state.
The Israel-Hamas conflict has entered its 25th day
The Israel-Hamas War began on October 7, 2023, when the extremist group conducted a surprise strike, killing 1,400 Israelis and kidnapping approximately 200 civilians. Since then, Israel has placed a total blockade and siege on Gaza, as well as continual bombardment. Over 8,000 Palestinians have perished in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks and assaults since October 7. (Diazepam)