The issue of Palestine is deeply political, with strong emotions surrounding its recognition as a state. As a widely used global platform, Google Maps becomes a focal point for those who believe that political narratives, such as the status of Palestine, should be accurately represented. Recently, viral claims on social media alleged that Google had removed “Palestine” from its app, Google Maps. These claims have garnered significant attention and sparked reactions from users. However, Fact Crescendo has confirmed that these claims are misleading.
Social Media Claim
A Facebook post recently shared a screenshot of Google Maps with the caption, “Google has removed
“Palestine” from its map.” The image quickly spread across social media, with some users expressing disbelief, while others believed it to be true.
Below is an image from the original post, which states that “Palestine has been removed from Google Maps.”
A Facebook post claiming “BREAKING: Palestine has been removed from Google maps” has also been circulating among other users recently.
The same claim has been posted and widely shared on other social media platforms as well. For instance, an X (formerly Twitter) user posted, “Palestine has been officially removed from the world maps on both Google and Apple Maps.”
The same video clip, along with the identical claim, was recently uploaded and circulated on YouTube, questioning why Google removed “Palestine.”
Given the claim’s extensive dissemination and the considerable attention, it has received from the internet community, we believed it was necessary to perform a fact-check on the above subject.
Fact Check
Fact Crescendo monitors and verifies claims through official Google announcements, relevant news updates, and its own research. This investigation has led us to the following conclusions:
We found no official confirmation or announcement that Google removed “Palestine” from Maps. Instead, when users search for “Palestine” on Google Maps, the platform zooms into the West Bank and Gaza Strip, without showing a country label for “Palestine.”
Both areas remain labeled, with dashed gray lines marking their disputed borders. No evidence suggests that a “Palestine” label was ever present or recently removed; their display on the map remains unchanged and consistent with Google’s policy on contested territories.
The following screenshot shows Google Maps Displays Today (As of April 30, 2025)
Fact Crescendo also found that Google’s map labeling practices are shaped by international diplomatic recognition, legal status, and global consensus. The issue of Palestine’s statehood has long been a subject of international debate and geopolitical tension, directly influencing how major tech platforms like Google represent it in their services.
This policy enables them to maintain neutrality and avoid taking sides in sensitive international disputes. Google follows a longstanding approach of refraining from labeling territories as independent nations unless there is broad international legal recognition and consensus.
Google Maps Help Center – Disputed Boundaries Policy Link | Archived Link
We also found that the above claim isn’t new. Similar accusations against Google Maps appeared in 2016, when a viral rumor alleged that Google had deleted “Palestine” from its service. According to the Guardian news website, they clarified that the label had never appeared as a country name, and the areas have since remained on the map with dashed boundary lines.
The Guardian News Report | Archived Link
According to a report by The Washington Post, it’s also important not to miss that Google applies this same policy to other internationally disputed regions as well, including Taiwan, Western Sahara, and Crimea. In these cases, the platform uses dashed boundary lines or alternative labels to reflect contested status, following international consensus, diplomatic recognition, and local regulations.
This consistent approach ensures that Google Maps maintains neutrality in regions where sovereignty and borders remain the subject of international debate.
The Washington Post | Archived Link
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Conclusion
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found that the above claim is misleading. “Palestine” has never been labeled as a sovereign country on Google Maps. The platform continues to display the geographical regions of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which are internationally recognized as disputed territories. These areas are marked with dashed gray lines, a cartographic convention indicating contested borders.
