The name Israel has vanished from maps in China

Astonished Internet users in China noticed that the name Israel has been erased from the digital maps of tech behemoths Baidu and Alibaba, reports The Wall Street Journal. The situation is in line with the Beijing government's ambiguous diplomatic approach towards the issues in that region.

The online Baidu maps in Chinese display the internationally accepted borders of Israel, along with those of the Palestinian territories and significant cities. Nevertheless, the nation's name is absent. This is paralleled on the online maps provided by Alibaba's Amap, where even tiny countries such as Luxembourg are distinctly identified.

Neither company has replied to the queries put forth by The Wall Street Journal as of Monday. There is uncertainty among journalists as to whether the name of Israel's omission from these maps is a recent occurrence. However, Chinese netizens have noted that this change came about following the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

On the conflict between Israel and Hamas, Beijing maintains an equivocal stance. It expressed last week that it supports Israel's right to defend itself, but at the same time, it appeals for a ceasefire.

Teaming up with Russia at the United Nations last week, China called for an immediate end to military operations. Authorities locally also advocate for Palestine's right to declare an independent state.