Publishing giant HarperCollins began 2015 by publicly apologizing for selling maps of the Middle East that omit Israel. The company insisted that erasing Israel from maps were necessary since displaying the reality of Israel’s existence would be “highly offensive” to their customers in the Middle East region. The Israel-scrubbed maps were simply reflecting “local preferences”.
It’s not only Harper Collins maps that present a world without the Jewish state. In recent years, numerous cultural exhibits, historians, and religious works have all worked hard to erase any trace of Israel and Jewish history there. Here are some examples of the quest to rewrite history – without the Jewish state.
1. Palestinian Authority: Denying the Jewish Temple
Visitors to Jerusalem today can pray at the Western Wall, the last vestige of the magnificent Jewish Temple that once stood on that site, until its destruction by Roman forces in 70 CE. Archeological sites in the area have unearthed remains from the Temple, including the remains of a bridge that led to the Temple, pottery, ritual baths and engravings.
In the face of extensive historical and archeological evidence, it would seem impossible to deny the history of the Temple Mount – yet, incredibly, for years the Palestinian Authority has been committed to doing just that: erasing any trace of Jews’ connections with Judaism’s most holy site.
US negotiator Dennis Ross recalls that in 2000, in the midst of US-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat raised only one idea: that there never was a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. “I will not allow it to be written of me (in history) that I have…confirmed the existence of the so-called Temple underneath the mountain,” Arafat insisted to various shocked diplomats. Current Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas concurs, declaring that Jews “cannot come and claim” there ever was a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
2 Throwing Away Jewish History
The Islamic Waqf has destroyed many of the irreplaceable archeological objects documenting an ancient Jewish presence on the Temple Mount.
Under cover of “renovating” the Temple Mount, Waqf workmen have used heavy machinery to dig up areas containing highly sensitive, ancient objects. As far back as 1982, United Nations labeled the Temple Mount an “endangered” historical site due to the wanton destruction of Jewish artifacts, and the situation has only worsened over time.
In 2007, Ira Pasternak, an official of the Israeli Antiquities Authority, was permitted to view work on the Temple Mount; what he saw shocked him: huge tractors were used to dig up a floor, exposing ancient treasures, which were then tossed away into a garbage dump. Since 1996, the Waqf has built two new mosques in subterranean areas of the Temple Mount, including one in Solomon’s Stables. Pipes and other construction elements were drilled into ancient stones, and Jewish decorations thousands of years old were painted over.
3 Israel-Free Textbooks
HarperCollins’ maps are not the only educational materials to delete any mention of the Jewish state.
Children attending schools run by the Palestinian Authority are routinely presented with books and maps that deny the existence of Israel; one 12th Grade textbook is typical in referring to “the so-called State of Israel”, and accompanying the lesson with a map depicting all of present-day Israel wrapped in a Palestinian flag and pierced by a key, symbolizing ownership. Children’s television programs reinforce this message: the Palestinian Authority’s educational program Best Home teaches kids “there is no such thing as Israel”. Hamas’ Tomorrow’s Pioneers kids’ TV show instructs “There is no Israel; only Palestine”.
The problem isn’t confined to Palestinian media. In 2013, it emerged that an English-as-a-second-language textbook published in Britain – and praised by the Duke of Edinburgh as “extremely well-planned and constructed” and very impressive – contained a map that labeled all of Israel “Occupied Palestine”, erasing the Jewish state entirely.
Even when Israel’s existence is acknowledged, it’s often to create a negative impression. One recent study found that fully 84% of references to Israelis in all textbooks used by the Palestinian Authority are derogatory in tone; the same study revealed that a common goal advocated in both Palestinian Authority and Muslim schools within Israel is “martyrdom-sacrifice through death”.
4 Erasing “Israeli”
When Israeli Arab (and citizen) Haitham Khalaily made the semi-finals of “Arab Idol” – a spinoff of the popular “American Idol” TV franchise – in October 2014, he was described not as Israeli, but Palestinian, by the contest organizers, despite his citizenship and residence in the Jewish state. Few people commented on this silent erasure of the word “Israeli” – until that dreaded term was used live on Saudi Arabian TV: a map on Saudi Arabia’s MBC TV network showed (correctly) that Khalaily is from Israel; viewers flooded the station’s phone lines, demanding an apology and threatening a boycott. MBC quickly backed down, blaming the use of the word Israel on air on a “technical error”, and reverting to their usual Israel-free programming.
Even in more liberal countries, realistic depictions of the Jewish state can be branded offensive. In 2012, Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority nixed an Israeli Ministry of Tourism ad: although Israel’s borders were clearly delineated, the Authority worried customers might gain the impression that Israel controlled disputed territory; they also objected to the use of the Hebrew terms “Judea and Samaria” instead of the English “West Bank”.
For some, the very term “Israel” is anathema: at their annual conference in June 2014, the Presbyterian Church considered removing the word Israel from Church prayers. (The resolution was defeated, but a linked resolution – to divest from companies that deal with Israel – passed.)
5 Boycotting the Jewish state
The move to boycott Israeli goods, cultural figures and academics helps remove the Jewish state from public consciousness.
The erasure of Israel can come in some surprising places. In 2014, the Holocaust Educational Trust Ireland banned any mention of the Jewish state – participants weren’t allowed to so much as utter the banned word “Israel” – from Ireland’s national Holocaust commemoration.
At times, removal of references to Israel is silent. Readers in areas of Scotland governed by the West Dunbartonshire Council near Glasgow might not realize why they cannot find books by Israeli authors, or books published in Israel, on their local library’s shelves: since 2011, their council has boycott all such books, and even advised other regional councils who are interested in doing the same.
What Can We Do?
HarperCollins apologized for its Israel-free maps and pledged to stop selling them in the face of stinging criticism. We each have a duty to stand up, not be silent, and protest when we see Israel unfairly maligned.
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Stay informed. Read your local Jewish press. Familiarize yourself with how Israel is portrayed in your community.
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Stand up and be counted. Write letters. Organize facebook campaigns. Call attention to instances where Israel is being erased or unfairly criticized.
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Work with others. You don’t have to counter anti-Israel bias alone. Team up with friends and colleagues. You can also turn to on-line resources such as, aish.com, www.honestreporting.com and www.camera.org for help in standing up for Israel.
(40) Anonymous, February 15, 2015 7:36 PM
it is good to know
It is good to know that even if every last visible sign of the existence of worship of God by humans were effaced from the surface of the earth that He would still exist.
(39) Anonymous, January 11, 2015 4:00 AM
Cowardice PUblisher
It is cowardice to succumb to regional pressures to ignore the benefits they as human beings reap because of Israeli innovations. If this publisher doesn't want to include Israel in their publications, they should also divest themselves of the innovations created by Israel--cell phones, medical innovaions, and the like. Shame on you Harper Collins
(38) Beverly Margolis-Kurtin, January 8, 2015 8:05 PM
Palestine Betrayed
Nowhere does anything grow in the land of Israel unless the Jewish people are in the land.
Unscrupulous Arabs sold land to the Jews at highly inflated prices and as a result, the worthless land began to grow profitable crops. Until then, nobody cared about Jews moving into the land.
"Palestine Betrayed" tells the truth about who stabbed the Arabs in the back and it sure as hell wasn't the Jews---
Who was it that told the Arabs to leave their homes and all o their property behind because the combined armies of the other Arabs would kill all the Jews. It sure wasn't Jews who told them that.
The Nazi trained "grand mufti" spread Jew hate among the Arabs who were profiting from the work of the Jews.
Now Harper Collins wants to further betray everyone by taking an eraser to Israel.
Harper Collins used to be a trustworthy publisher. Here in Texas, where most of the schoolbooks are used in most other states, wants to erase SCIENCE by denying climate change, denying evolution, etc.
Harper Collins claims that it was an accidental erasure, then they claim that it would anger the schools in the middle east. They are liars, not to be trusted again.
(37) John, January 7, 2015 8:20 PM
Reality check.
"The company insisted that erasing Israel from maps were necessary since displaying the reality of Israel’s existence would be “highly offensive” to their customers in the Middle East region. The Israel-scrubbed maps were simply reflecting “local preferences”.
I believe the term we are ALL seeing and looking for is CENSORSHIP.
(36) Ken, January 7, 2015 12:43 PM
A fourth thing we must do
In this age of virulent, self-perpetuating polarization in so many areas of public discourse, there is a 4th remedy just as crucial as the three at the end of the article: We must learn to recognize that there is also such a thing as *fair* criticism of Israeli policy. It is understandably easy for a people traumatized by the Holocaust and by much other historical and ongoing antisemitism to become so defensive when the current government's actions are criticized, especially by those who are clearly not Jews, that all criticism can start to sound unfair and antisemitic. If we forget that even the Israeli government consists of fallible humans who sometimes err, and if we forget that within reason, reasonable people can disagree about particular policies or actions without their support for Israel's existence being called into question, there can be a dangerous curtailing of the best substitute for violence that we know, debate. When people feel they can no longer air their disputes verbally and are sure it will only descend into name-calling, that will signal an end to diplomacy. We must learn to recognize a person who merely disagrees on particulars but supports Israel in general, and to address such a person in a non-escalatory manner. The future of Israel and indeed of humanity depends on it. An overpowering, indiscriminate defensiveness against all critique will in the long run leave us defenseless. I ask people to remember this, and to identify principles by which they may discern mere criticism from actual hatred. There must be *some* critique of the Israeli government that is acceptable.
Keeping open lines of communication has been an essential tactic in keeping the powers of the world from stumbling into a devastating and likely nuclear third world war; will it not also be indispensable, in order for events not to escalate out of control for Israel? We must be careful, in our zeal to defend ourselves, not to alienate those we can still engage.
(35) Diana, January 7, 2015 1:31 AM
This just proves the total lack of moral fibre of too many people in today's world. I suppose the same people would also deny the reality of 11/09/91. Or that the Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water on the planet. Some things are so self evident that they can't be argued. Its not just moral fibre these people lack, it is education, and I suppose one should pity their ignorance.
(34) David S. Levine, January 7, 2015 12:33 AM
Harper Collins Corrected Themselves
After the error was pointed out, Harper Collins took immediate steps to correct themselves including pulping the Atlas at great cost to themselves. This was the honorable thing to do abnd it shiows that harper collins under Murdoch leadership has the right attitude on corporate responsibility in this area. The company should be applauded for their corrective action..and watched to assure no repeat of the error. And, of course, the company should watch itself and its employees.
(33) Anonymous, January 6, 2015 6:57 PM
I want to know more about Israel history.
Interesting and pray it will not happen. Israel must remain and never erased out.
(32) Karen, January 6, 2015 5:39 PM
God's Mark
But oh the TRUTH... God made a mark that can not be erased!
(31) Anonymous, January 6, 2015 1:59 PM
Thank you for writing this! It's the sad truth. May Israel soon find the peace and respect that it deserves as our homeland!
(30) Matt Knighton, Sr., January 6, 2015 2:58 AM
Erase Harper-Collins
Incredulous! HC, a world-class education publ company is going thru a radical metamorphosis in which "education" is intentionally becoming a venue for the dissemination of blatantly false information. They have "tipped their hand" by this inexcusably irresponsible, deceptive course of action. Political correctness is apparently a higher value than educational correctness and personal character. For fear of "offending" a few customers (i.e., losing money) they delete Israel from maps of the MiddleEast. Denying reality, knowingly producing misinformation, and selling the soul of their mission for the prospect of more money. What an admirable corporate legacy! Why not erase Harper-Collins, or at least their CEO &.Board.
(29) Max Rambow, January 5, 2015 4:34 PM
A terror victom sees clearly.
The father of the girl burned in the recent terror attack hit the nail on the head when he said that G-d is shaking us; awaken my brothers and turn to Him with your whole heart.
(28) william Akpablah, January 5, 2015 10:33 AM
It's said that those who don't learn nothing from history are doomed to repeat it, yet again, if history repeats itself then it's bound to happen. Well, my advise to all those JEWS-HATERS is they should casts minds (senses) back, thus if they have any! and find out what happens to one MR HAMAN in the MEDO-PERSIAN kINGDOM when he tries to ERASE all JEWS from the system. ESTHER 3:7-9, 6:13, 7:1-10. Erasing JEWS/ISRAEL from the world is like setting the whole world ablaze! Infact the earth cannot exist without JEWS/ISRAEL! ENOUGH IS THE WORD FOR THE WISE!
(27) Sharona, January 5, 2015 7:46 AM
very disturbing
It is very disturbing to see how acceptable it is to deny that Israel is a country. It's a trend that doesn't seem possible to stop. Israel and the Jews are highly offensive to the millions of Arabs who live in the MIddle East, Europe, and all over the world. All of our comoplaints and boycotts are a drop in the bucket cmpared to the power the Arabs have.....
(26) Anonymous, January 5, 2015 2:49 AM
From a Christian
I am a Christian and an American. I am ashamed of the way our current administration has treated your nation both from a strategic and a religious perspective. I am also ashamed of the ignorance in the US about Israel but the problems with ignorance in our nation goes much deeper. You have many, many supporters here in the US, Christian as well as Jewish. Although we have religious differences, you are God's chosen people and He will not desert you.
(25) Marvin Feil, January 5, 2015 1:50 AM
Scolastically Unreliable
1) I tried to email Harper Collins. If I remember correctly, I could not find a way to do so.
2) I have pointed out to teachers the patent falsehood of omitting Israel from maps and asked them how they could trust Harper Collins textbooks to be accurate in other areas.
Matt Knighton, Sr, January 6, 2015 3:16 AM
Easy answer for your question to teachers in point #2: They can't. Harper Collins has tipped their hand: They're holding the royal flush of contemporary corporate ideology: money-first, politically-correct, truth-be-damned, who-cares-as-long-we-get-what-we-want stack of cards. Authentic education just got relegated to a janitor's-closet-turned-"office" somewhere in the back part of the basement. God help our kids.
David Levine, January 7, 2015 12:37 AM
Harper Collins's Corrective Action
Obviously Matt is a left winger. Harper Collins took corrective action and pulped all of their stock at great cost to the corporation. I'd trust harper Collins more than I'd trust the textbook companies which are under the thumb of the Moslem lobby led by unindicted co-conspirator CAIR. You don't wack allies who made a mistake!
(24) Anonymous, January 5, 2015 1:35 AM
Error? Baloney! If they had not been caught, there would be no apology!
(23) Kelly Rebekah ben Maimon, January 5, 2015 1:20 AM
Will make an effort not to purchase anything produced by HarperCollins
HarperCollins should be ashamed of themelves! Had no idea they had expunged Israel from maps for fear of offense!!?!! What next? Have to read a lot for work. Will make sure I start avoiding purchasing anything produced by this revolting firm. Thanks for suggestions on moving forward. Incidentally, I have lots of friends, who are non Jewish from the Middle East. Even though we have differing views, they were offended. So well done HarperCollins, at least we know what your true intentions are. As for the State of Israel, she's not going anywhere! On a happier note, went out with friends to watch Ridley Scott's movie Exodus. Strongly recommend, as it was thought provoking and entertaining at the same time. London, England
Anonymous, January 7, 2015 12:39 AM
Corrective Action Taken
Harper Collins took corrective action in this matter by pulping all of its stock of this atlas at great cost to itself. Instead of whacking them, give them credit for good citizenship.
(22) Kees van den Bosch, January 5, 2015 12:58 AM
Anyone denying that Israel exists is totally insane!
The stupidity of some people to deny Israel's Statehood must be stultified in their ability to use their brain. Israel as a Nation has an accurately recorded and unbroken history that started with the Exodus led by Moses about 3,454 years ago. Read your history books and use your brain, if you are lucky enough to have one. Israel will be there in Eternity, make sure you will be part of it. Regards, Kees van den Bosch.
(21) Mike, January 5, 2015 12:34 AM
Israeli government is guilty
The most infuriating part is the fact that the Israeli government stood by and did nothing to stop the destruction of Jewish artifacts at the Temple Mount. They could have easily put a stop to the construction. I know of no other country that has such little regard for their national treasures or history. What a disgrace!
(20) Anonymous, January 4, 2015 11:20 PM
Like someone said: we are all entitled to our opinion but we are not entitled to our own facts. HarperCollins should be ashamed and boycotted.
(19) Beverly Margolis-Kurtin, January 4, 2015 10:15 PM
...when they came for me, there was no one to rescue me...
Dennis Prager and Joseph Telushkin in their book "Why the Jews?:The reason for Antisemitism" they preface a quote from The Reverend Edward H. Flannery, National Conference of Catholic Bishops who said, "It was Judaism that brought the concept of a God-given universal moral law into the world...the Jew carries the burden of God in history [and] for this has ever been forgiven."
If, heaven forbid, the Jews of Europe are killed, the Europeans will be the next to be slaughtered. They never learn the lesson of the Holocaust.
Europeans are, in their hearts, pagans. they will always be suspicious of the Jews simply because of their incredible stupidity.
They are helping the Arabs to overtake them without knowing what they are doing! Yes, they are that stupid.
They want to boycott Israel, the only democratic nation in the middle east without taking into consideration that they will be next.
Wipe out Israel on a map? Harper Collins is not sorry that they erased Israel, they're only sorry that they were caught. They want to kiss Arab feet. The Arabs will, in turn, KICK the Europeans in their faces.
(18) Betty, January 4, 2015 9:30 PM
Only ONE in control!
It will do no good for anyone to try to erase Israel off the map! What all these idiots fail to realize is that God is in control of EVERYTHING!!! Israel is God's promised land and the Jewish people are His chosen people! It' time to take a stand for Israel at all cost!! There is no other way to please God!!
(17) Ike Semaya, January 4, 2015 9:27 PM
Israel & Jews FOREVER
In the past the Arab & Muslim world tried to DOMINATE the world. THEY FAILED THEN AND THEY WILL FAIL AGAIN. REMEMBER THE JEWS WERE IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL FOR ALMOST 4000 YEARS. WE WILL BE THERE WHEN THE ARAB WORLD IS NO LONGER ON THIS EARTH.!!!!!!
(16) catherine, January 4, 2015 6:41 PM
makes my blood boil
Yet another disgusting act to "try" and erase everything and anything regarding Israel. It makes my blood boil. If i hear of any company that boycotts Israel i then refuse to purchase anything from that company. Israel will always remain. Stupid ignorant people bending over backwards to please the middle east...... why, the middle east (muslims) arnt bothered about pleasing them or us. Why are people so dumb? I love Israel. I love The Jews. So precious. Shame on anyone who rejects Jewish history and the right of The Jews to the land of Israel. If anyone did that to the muslim treasures all hell would break loose.
(15) B. Cheistwer, January 4, 2015 6:40 PM
Nonsense!!!!
You have to be there once and feel how much life is there!!!!So I Believe ISRAEL IS THEIR TO STAY .THEY MADE A GARDEN FROM A desert and contribute to the
(14) rachel, January 4, 2015 5:58 PM
u can earase all u want israel will b here forever and if israel will goo u all go so get use to us
the world can hate us all the want ask a 90 % of the arabs in the west bank want to stay with Israel we want to live and let live
(13) dominique, January 4, 2015 5:34 PM
Irrefutable Bible truth
No matter what men say, write, declare, deny, or erase , God’s Word and Promises never: change. Israel will ill stay for ever.
(12) Rob Porter, January 4, 2015 5:26 PM
Destruction on Temple Mount
What absolutely floors me is why the Government of Israel has permitted the destruction of Jewish artifacts to continue. We all know that if this country were ruled by the Arab Muslims dregs of humanity, Temple Mount would not be permitted to remain in Jewish hands and destruction of Muslim artifacts permitted to occur. I can't imagine that Arab Muslims would be any more angry and hateful than they already are if Israel were to kick the Muslims off Temple Mounts and destroy their mosques.
Meanwhile, all thinking individuals should simply not buy any products produced by the unprincipled and cowardly HarperCollins. What an appallingly dishonest world we now live in! Read Barack Obama's 2009 speeches to the Turkish Parliament and Muslims world from Cairo and we more fully understand 'revisionist' history with it lies and fabrications.
Anonymous, January 4, 2015 9:15 PM
Why Should the Israeli Government be the one to call foul?
The Waqf Authority and all Temple Mount Activities are under Jordanian control, after the armistace agreements of 1967. Rightly or wrongly it is the UN that should be standing up for the rights of Jews and their beloved sacred areas. However, this is not to be obviously the UN has been taken over by the 3rd World bloc, and the Arab states through NGOs and bodies within the UN. When the world realizes that it is G-d who is control, and that He is the one to decide what goes, then the Jews will be vindicated. Until then, the best offence is a good defence - Jews need to pray, learn Torah and be better people and bring about Kiddish Hashem in all areas.
(11) Harmony, January 4, 2015 5:18 PM
Harmony results from chaos. We must fight the good fight.
Silence is the equivalent of suicide. We must raise our voices in support of the Jewish State. Must! No and, but, if...We must fight the good fight to make things right.
(10) Deborah, January 4, 2015 5:03 PM
My Comments
Whilst it is pretty clear that not drawing Israel on a map clearly ignores the current political boundaries drawn up, the boycott of Israel doesn't seem to me as a viable method of "erasing Israel", since this action acknowledges the existence of this state, and the boycott is founded out of disagreement with the questionable actions of the Israeli government.
Besides that, I agree that these measures taken are ludicrous, but I don't but into the attacker-victim story that both governments are trying to portray.
(9) William Lindgren, January 4, 2015 5:01 PM
Insanity piled upon lies
How can people be so ignorant as to deny the existence of Israel?I find the behaviour of Harper-Collins Publishing both insulting and deeply troubling. To deny the right of Israel to even exist is tantamount to denying that the holocaust took place. Insanity. I will adding Harper-Collins to my boycott list.
Anonymous, January 7, 2015 12:42 AM
Corrective Action Taken
Harper Collins took corrective action by pulping all of its stock of the book at great cost to itself. Instead of boycotting them give them credit for this corrective action and their good corporte citizenship proven thereby.
(8) Barbara Kearney, January 4, 2015 4:44 PM
"Israel-free Maps"
WAY beyond ludicrous! Israel exists for ALL of us, Jew, Gentile, Arab.........ALL of us. It warmed my heart to be there last year. I would go back in a heartbeat!
(7) Sandra, January 4, 2015 4:29 PM
Goebels strategy lives on
The Nazis found that an oft repeated lie slowly and insidiously takes on an aura of truth, and that tragically is still in practice .
In the Arab world, the lunatics are running the asylum.n
(6) Gloria Schroeder, January 4, 2015 4:20 PM
The Muslims know, concluding in their early writings that the Temple existed. Muslims can read: They know Solomon wrote that if we pray towards the Temple, OUR FATHER will answer our prayers. Muslims are a people of trickery, doing every thing to prevent HEAVENLY BLESSINGS ON ISRAEL. How long are we going to ignore that this is genocide?
(5) Ari Waldman, January 4, 2015 4:19 PM
I WE Don't exist then WE didn't do it
If our enemies somehow get routed by us in battle or in self defense they shouldn't cry because We don't exist... it's just a figmnt of their imagination!!
(4) Joan, January 4, 2015 4:17 PM
Israel versus harper
Israel, formerly known as Judea, was thriving thousands of years before Harper was even a gleam in someone's eye. Be sure to tell them. "We are not going away, we are here to stay. We may be small in number, however we are still "the people of the book"
(3) Dieter Rapp Junior, January 4, 2015 4:10 PM
Now and never,ISRAEL will be erased.
(2) Anonymous, January 4, 2015 4:08 PM
The State of Israel illustrated on maps.
Having worked in the middle east for 20 years; starting in 1979, the State of Israel was Tipexed out by the purchaser of maps. Crayons were typically used to colour in Israel to match the surrounding Arab territories. Now some publishers remove Israel completely from maps but to the best of my knowledge Israel is still were it has always been and always will be.
(1) Alon, January 4, 2015 3:37 PM
Erase Harper & Collins, that is the best way to go.
Anonymous, January 4, 2015 4:50 PM
This article should be sent to every major newspaper in the U.S. and Europe.
Deborah, January 4, 2015 5:00 PM
Ridiculous
Come on, that is a ludicrous idea! HarperCollins have been around for a long time, and they aren't about to disappear because of this. Besides, they have already apologized for what is a clear error on their part.
StanleyT, January 4, 2015 9:59 PM
Hardly an error
No, it was clearly NOT an error. It was a deliberate decision, made to appease their customers in the Middle East. They have freely admitted this. And I would bet money on them doing it again.