Middle East atlas omitting Israel to be pulped following widespread anger

Publisher felt inclusion of the country in children’s reference book would have been ‘unacceptable’ to Gulf customers

An atlas designed for use in Middle Eastern schools that omitted Israel from the map is to be pulped after drawing heavy criticism, its publisher HarperCollins has said.

The Collins Middle East Atlas is described by its publisher as “an ideal school atlas for young primary school geographers”, which “enables students to learn about the world today by exploring clear and engaging maps”. It is also “specifically designed for schools in Middle East countries”, according to HarperCollins, with the Catholic newspaper The Tablet the first to notice that this meant its map of the area “shows Jordan and Syria extending all the way to the Mediterranean”. Gaza and the West Bank are both labelled, but Israel does not appear.

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