China’s two tech giants – Alibaba and Baidu – have removed the name of Israel from their digital maps, a move that could upset Tel Aviv. Baidu’s Chinese language online maps demarcate the internationally recognised borders of Israel but don’t clearly identify the country by name, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The same was also observed in online maps produced by Alibaba’s Amap, where even small nations like Luxembourg are clearly marked, the report said, adding that it is unclear whether the development was new.
Israel is currently at war with the Palestinian militant organisation, Hamas. The militant group is backed by Qatar and Iran, which enjoys good relations with Beijing partly because of their common adversary, the United States. China has not yet condemned Hamas’ brutal attack on Israel even though it has said Tel Aviv has the right to defend itself.
Two days ago, China voted for a resolution in the UN General Assembly calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The resolution condemned all violence against civilians and emphasised the need for a two-state solution.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Thursday said a ceasefire would be a “gift” to Hamas because they would start rebuilding their armaments and create stronger positions. “People who are calling for a ceasefire now, don’t understand Hamas,” Clinton said. “That is not possible.”
Last week, China’s foreign minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen that Beijing will do its utmost when it comes to contributing to Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation, according to Chinese state media. China will firmly support any resolution as long as it is conducive to peace, he said.
Wang also said that all countries have the right to self-defence, but they should abide by international humanitarian law and protect the safety of civilians.
In a call with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Wang earlier this month condemned the continued Israeli retaliation and asked Tel Aviv to stop its “collective punishment” of Gaza’s civilians. He warned that Israel’s relentless strikes in Gaza could worsen regional tensions and lead to humanitarian disaster.
“Israel’s actions have gone beyond self-defence,” Wang told Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. “It should seriously listen to the calls of the international community and the United Nations secretary general and stop collective punishment of the people of Gaza.”
Meanwhile, Israel has entered Gaza where the forces said they have been eliminating Hamas militants and their infrastructures. As per the latest update, Israel’s defence forces have struck approximately 300 targets, including anti-tank missile posts, rocket launch posts, and terrorist compounds inside underground tunnels.