The map of Israel according to Bezeq
The map of Israel according to BezeqIsrael news photo: Bezeq

The Bezeq Telephone company’s map of Israel “surrendered” the Golan Heights - until Arutz 7 questioned the company. The official explanation: The omission was a ”graphic error” unrelated to politics.

Company spokesmen did not explain why graphic design required the omission of the Golan Heights and coloring of the areas of Judea and Samaria.

The map has returned the Golan Heights but the Golan appears to be void of doctors, food markets and tradesmen. Bezeq explains that its new service for locatng businesses still is being upgraded.

The case of the disappearing Golan, which was restored to Israel in the Six-Day War in 1967 and officially annexed to the country 28 years ago, came to the attention of Arutz 7 by way of  readers who tried out a new service by Bezeq.

(Picture at left: Wind farm on the Golan)The company’s website allows Internet uses to locate services, such as medical clinics open at night. The navigational map showed Israel minus the Golan and displayed Judea and Samaria with a different color than the rest of the country. After the inquiry by Arutz 7, Bezeq returned the Golan Heights to Israel.

However, the area, along with Judea and Samaria, appears to be abandoned by businesses. Users of the site can use the map to locate doctors, flower shops, home improvement and repair tradesmen and other services, but none of them appear in the restored Golan and the off-colored area of Judea and Samaria.

Bezeq explained, “The information [144] site was launched last year and provides users with information on 300,000 businesses. Last week, Bezeq launched a new service for locating pharmacies and night clinics according to information we have received and which is is being updated. The new service is only a week old and still is being updated.”