Canada, UK face backlash over changing embassy addresses to 'Palestine'
An Israeli flag is seen next to the British flag, the Union Jack, in this file photo. PHOTO: REUTERS
The websites of both the UK and Canadian embassies in Israel have come under criticism after references to “Palestine” were added to their addresses.
Global Affairs Canada updated its site to describe its Tel Aviv embassy as being located in “Palestine”, according to the Toronto Sun. The page initially listed “Israel and Palestine” before later being corrected.
The UK government website has been updated. pic.twitter.com/VQBOqfPzZ3
The UK Foreign Office faced similar scrutiny after the website of its Consulate General in Jerusalem added “Palestine” at the bottom of the address. The location had previously been described as “East Jerusalem”.
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The changes quickly spread across social media, drawing thousands of views and comments.
“This is nuts, and of note, they’re doing it all on Rosh HaShanah when a large portion of the Jewish community is offline,” wrote X user Dan Levy.In Canada, Liberal MP Anthony Housefather said he had contacted Global Affairs, and a correction was made “a few hours later”.
In the UK, Alex Hearn, director of Labour Against Antisemitism, said: “The UK government erased Israel’s capital even on the Jewish new year.”
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France has also faced criticism after changing the address of its consulate in West Jerusalem to list “Palestine”.
Canada’s Tel Aviv embassy was briefly listed as “Tel Aviv, Israel, Palestine”. Hearn described this as “geographically incoherent”, adding: “This geographically incoherent address is a political statement, showing they have decided all of Israel is Palestine ‘from the river to the sea’.”