Microsoft has updated its Bing Maps and other location services to show the term “West Bank” for a disputed area. It has removed some previous labels like “Judea and Samaria, Israel,” according to reports from April 2026.
The change was announced by 7amleh, the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, a Palestinian digital rights group. They said they worked for months, sharing evidence and talking with Microsoft. The group called the update a “necessary correction” that matches international law and stops the “digital erasure” of Palestinian geography. They described old labels as misleading and linked to Israeli settler movements.
Independent checks by news outlets, including Anadolu Agency, confirmed the new labeling on Bing Maps. Places once listed under Israeli names now appear simply as the West Bank. Microsoft has not made any official comment on the change so far.
The West Bank is a territory captured by Israel in the 1967 war. Palestinians want it as part of their future state. Many countries and the United Nations call it the West Bank and see Israeli settlements there as illegal under international law. Israel calls the same area Judea and Samaria and considers it a historically Jewish land. Some Israeli politicians have even pushed to replace “West Bank” with “Judea and Samaria” in official documents.
This update is part of a bigger debate. Tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple face pressure from both sides on how they show borders, names, and disputed lands on maps and search results. Small changes in labels can affect public views, travel apps, and even political claims.
The move has drawn attention amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. It shows how digital platforms now play a key role in shaping global understanding of geography and history.
