GPS confused in Israel
2009-10-18 22:31
Jerusalem - Navigating the contours of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be confusing, even for satellite navigation systems.
But soon, if the Israeli army has its way, the Global Positioning System (GPS) will get a lesson in the political complexities of the disputed region.
The military has approached the company that makes the maps for the personal navigation devices, asking them to differentiate between Israeli settlements and Palestinian towns and cities in the occupied West Bank, an army spokesperson said on Sunday.
The navigation systems would also be able to tell drivers when they were crossing the Green Line, the pre-1967 armistice line separating Israel from what is now the occupied West Bank.
The move comes after several hundred Israeli motorists were unwittingly guided into Palestinian controlled areas by their GPS devices, including more than 150 since the start of the year, the army said.
Most were stopped by the dozens of Israeli army roadblocks that dot the West Bank, or returned unharmed by Palestinian security forces.
However, there have been several incidents in which Israelis who have strayed into Palestinian towns have been attacked.
