“Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, ‘Terror on every side!’ They conspire against me and plot to take my life.” (Psalm 31:11–13)
While Iran has threatened to wipe Israel off the map, publishing giant HarperCollins recently did just that is a new atlas “developed specifically for schools in the Middle East.”
HarperCollins has sold the altas for months, touting the work as providing students with “in-depth coverage of the region and its issues,” and helping children understand the “relationship between the social and physical environment, the region’s challenges [and] its socio-economic development.” (Washington Post)
After the omission was discovered, the publisher apologized last week.
Promised to be pulped by its publisher, “this product has now been removed from sale in all territories …. HarperCollins sincerely apologizes for this omission and for any offense caused,” writes an official statement.
map of Israel
Collins Bartholomew, a long established map publishing company which is currently a subsidiary of HarperCollins, told The Tablet that Israel was deleted to suit “local preferences,” which find the inclusion of Israel “unacceptable.”
The alternative shows “Jordan and Syria extending all the way to the Mediterranean Sea,” writes the UK-based paper, which broke the story. Despite scrubbing reference to Israel, the atlas shows “Gaza” clearly on the map. (Haaretz)
The issue of “wiping Israel off the map” reflects a desire that has built up increasingly in the Middle East and elsewhere.
“Maps can be a very powerful tool in terms of delegitimizing ‘the other’,” said Dr. Jane Clements, director of Britain’s Council of Christians and Jews. “We would be keen to see relevant bodies ensure that all atlases anywhere reflect the official United Nations position on nations, boundaries and all political features.” (Times of Israel)
By Saturday night, the atlas has received 141 “1 star” reviews and only 12 “5 star” reviews, with almost all of them pivoting on the absence of “Israel.” (Amazon)
