Israeli Military Apologizes for Showing J&K as Part of Pak on Map After Backlash

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th June: The Israeli military apologized on Friday for sharing an incorrect map of India on X (formerly Twitter). The map wrongly depicted Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan, sparking significant anger among Indian social media users.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) admitted the map “fails to precisely depict borders” but claimed it was merely an “illustration of the region.” The controversial image was part of a late Friday evening tweet emphasizing Tel Aviv’s view of Iran as a “global threat,” amidst escalating tensions in West Asia.

Indian users quickly pointed out the error, urging the IDF to retract the post. Some even tagged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. About 90 minutes after the original tweet, the IDF responded directly to an X user, stating, “This post is an illustration of the region. This map fails to precisely depict borders. We apologise for any offense caused.”

India has consistently maintained that J&K and Ladakh, despite parts being illegally occupied by Pakistan and China for decades, are and will always be an integral part of the country. Prime Minister Modi reiterated this stance in May, following the Pahalgam terror attack. As of Saturday, the Indian government has not yet issued an official response to the IDF’s erroneous map.

The inaccurate map came as a surprise given the strong and growing relationship between India and Israel. Over the past few years, ties have deepened significantly, marked by Prime Minister Modi’s historic visit to Israel in 2017—the first by an Indian leader. Delhi is also one of Tel Aviv’s largest trading partners, and India is a major client for Israeli military equipment.

The latest Israel-Iran tensions have rapidly escalated, following Israel’s major offensive to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Iran reportedly retaliated with dozens of missiles, some of which Israel claims were intercepted with US assistance. Both Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have exchanged warnings and threats, with Khamenei accusing Netanyahu of starting a war and Netanyahu vowing “more is on the way.”