'Editor's mistake': Israel removes controversial Indian map depicting a part of J&K as Pakistan

Israel has removed a map from its official website that inaccurately depicted a portion of Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, following widespread criticism on social media. Reuven Azar, Israel's ambassador to India, characterised the incident as an error made by the website's editor.

The issue was brought to light by a user on the social media platform X, who questioned Israel's stance on India's territorial integrity. "India stands with Israel. But does Israel stand with India? Note the map of India (pay attention to Jammu and Kashmir) on Israel's official website," the user posted, highlighting the contentious depiction.

In response to the uproar, Ambassador Azar acknowledged the mistake, stating, "Website editor's mistake. Thank you for noticing. Was taken down."

This incident comes at a time when India has consistently asserted that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the nation, a position that has been a cornerstone of its foreign policy.

The backdrop to this diplomatic incident is a tumultuous period in the Middle East, where Israel is currently engaged in a multi-front conflict following the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last week. The ongoing violence has resulted in over 1,000 fatalities and the displacement of more than a million people as Israel shifts its military focus from Gaza to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah positions.

The situation escalated further on Tuesday when Iran launched a barrage of 200 missiles towards Israel, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to issue threats of retaliatory strikes.

During a recent address at the United Nations General Assembly, Netanyahu presented two maps that categorized countries into "The Curse" and "The Blessing." The former group included Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, while the latter featured Egypt, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and India.

Notably, both maps depicted Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and Gaza, as part of Israel, along with the Golan Heights region in Syria.