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Feb. 16, 2021
Israel’s occupation of the West Bank may be a fact of life for Palestinians, but it may no longer be a fact on Hebrew Wikipedia. The community of volunteer editors has voted to rename the article on the occupation, dropping the word in favor of Israel’s “rule” or “control” over the contested territory.
Though “occupation” still appears in the article, the change reflects what can be called a version of Israel’s creeping annexation of the territory online in Hebrew, where the West Bank has long been called by its biblical name and the term “occupation” is increasingly perceived as inaccurate due to its temporary and politicized nature.