China's Digital Maps Exclude Israel Amid Gaza Conflict

Chinese tech companies Alibaba and Baidu have been observed omitting the name "Israel" from their online maps, although the internationally recognized borders of Israel are still shown. The maps include Palestinian territories and neighboring countries, but Israel's name is conspicuously absent. It is unclear when this change occurred, but Chinese internet users have been discussing it since the recent Hamas attack. While spokespeople for Alibaba and Baidu have not commented on the issue, a Baidu spokesman stated that the omission may be due to limited space on the maps. China has historically supported a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, and while the Chinese government has called for a ceasefire and humanitarian support for Palestinians, social media users in China have expressed anti-Israel sentiments.