On the surface, the question seems ridiculous. Both of Google’s founders, Sergey Brin and Larry Page reportedly are ethnically Jews.  Page’s mother was Jewish, according to this biography, while Brin’s family is widely reported to have fled antisemitism in the former Soviet Union and emigrated to America.

Yet, according to one of the most prominent and useful definitions of antisemitism, that of Natan Sharansky, applying standards to Israel that are not applied to other countries is an indicator of antisemitism.

A friend wrote me yesterday about something he noticed about Google Maps:

After reading about the attack on Iranian troops on parade, I wanted to see where Khuzestan Province is and looked on Google maps:

I then noticed that Google maps identify cities and provinces around the world using both the Latin alphabet and the alphabet of the local language.

Except for one nation.

Here is the map (copyright Google):

I wish that Google would tell us why they apply this standard to Israel and no other? I loathe false accusations of antisemitism or any kind of racism, but I am at a loss to explain this anomaly in the case of Israel.