French Magazine Pulled for Saying Israel is 'Unreal Country'

French newspapers the day after the 2005 referendum when French
voters rejected the European constitution. AFP / Getty Images
French newspapers the day after the 2005 referendum when French voters rejected the European constitution. AFP / Getty Images
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French Magazine Pulled for Saying Israel is 'Unreal Country'

French newspapers the day after the 2005 referendum when French
voters rejected the European constitution. AFP / Getty Images
French newspapers the day after the 2005 referendum when French voters rejected the European constitution. AFP / Getty Images

Publishers Bayard has pulled one of its magazines from shops and libraries on Tuesday, because it published a map saying Israel is not a real country. This step came following angry protests from the Council of Jewish Institutions (Crif).

Youpi magazine’s January issue carries a map of the world with the following legend: "We call these 197 countries states, like France, Germany or Algeria. There are other ones but not everyone agrees they are real countries (for example the State of Israel and North Korea)."

Besides pulling the magazine from the market, Bayard’s Managing Director Pascal Ruffenach said in a statement: “We recognize our mistake, it was not well put, and obviously we do not want to contest the existence of the state of Israel," adding that withdrawing the issue voluntarily and in good faith because it is important to contribute to the spirit of calm.

For his part, Francis Kalifat, head of the French Council of Jewish Institutions (Crif), said he had been tipped off by readers about this historical untruth being feed to young children aged between five and eight.

“I immediately wrote to the editor and the head of Bayard to protest about this flagrant error and to demand they rectify it,” he noted.

As the concerned party has responded to the request, Kalifat considers the matter was terminated and there is no need to further controversy.

However, Crif has demanded that the magazine run a correction in its next issue as well as an article explaining what Israel is and how it came into existence.

Ruffenach, however, refused to be drawn, saying that the December issue explained the major religions to children.



Trump Says 'on the Same Side of Every Issue' with Netanyahu After Call

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Netanyahu departs the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Netanyahu departs the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
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Trump Says 'on the Same Side of Every Issue' with Netanyahu After Call

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Netanyahu departs the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Netanyahu departs the White House in Washington, DC, on April 7, 2025. (AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump spoke by phone, two weeks after the two met in Washington.

Trump wrote on his social networking site Truth Social that the two spoke about trade and Iran, among other issues.

“The call went very well—We are on the same side of every issue,” he wrote.

Netanyahu's office did not have an immediate comment, but his hastily-arranged visit to Washington was not deemed a rousing success after he appeared to fail to secure the support he wanted from Trump on issues such as stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons, reducing Trump's tariffs, the influence of Türkiye and the war in Gaza.