August 28, 2005

By: Bruce Langdon
Website: http://www.1st-in-ebooks.com

Harper Collins agree to change policy on describing Jerusalem as capital of Israel

Following a letter from CAABU and numerous letters from CAABU members and supporters, Harper Collins wrote to CAABU Director, Chris Doyle, informing him that it planned to change its policy on the naming of Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel.

Harper Collins stated in the letter that “since your correspondence and following a meeting of our Cartographic Policy Committee, [we] decided to add a footnote against Jerusalem where it appears in country listings. This footnote indicates that we define this as the de facto capital and that it is subject to dispute. The wording “De facto capital. Disputed” will be added to country listings in our atlas products at the earliest opportunity and we will continue to review our policies and to monitor the situation closely.”

CAABU raised the issue of the naming of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in September 2003 in two letters to the company. In his second letter to Harper Collins, CAABU Director, Chris Doyle, wrote “Jerusalem is not recognised as Israel’s capital by international law. The status of Jerusalem in international law can only be based on the UN partition resolution 181, which if implemented, would have led to international trusteeship of Jerusalem.

It's status otherwise remains undecided and neither under Israeli nor Palestinian sovereignty. A sovereign state cannot ‘nominate’ a capital or territory that is not under its sovereign control. Israel might desire Jerusalem as its capital but cannot declare it as such - this is akin to Britain declaring its capital in Paris or Brussels”.

Chris Doyle also raised the issue of describing the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza as “disputed”. He wrote “The West Bank and Gaza are defined as occupied territories by international law and by the legal consensus of all nation-states apart from Israel. The term “disputed territories” is purely an Israeli definition and is wholly inaccurate beyond Israeli domestic politics." Harper Collins also confirmed that it will still use the term ‘disputed’.

CAABU hope that it will review this decision and revert the internationally accepted definition, which is ‘occupied’. Harper Collins Publishers are held in very high regard and many of it's publications are used in schools and other institutions of education and learning. It is therefore essential that it's publications are impartial and accurate. It's decision to footnote Jerusalem is therefore ever more important.

CAABU welcomes Harper Collins decision to take into account some of the concerns expressed and thanks all of those supporters and members who also wrote to Harper Collins on this issue.

About The Author:

Bruce Langdon is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-ebooks.com.  A source of information on creating, writing and publishing an e-book.