The Algerian Ministry of Education ordered the “immediate” withdrawal of a secondary school geography book yesterday, due to a printing error that labelled a map of Palestine as Israel.
The printing mistake was embarrassing for the Algerian government, as they do not have diplomatic ties with Israel, nor does the North African nation accept entry to Israeli passport holders.
In a statement released by Education Minister Nouria Benghabrit, the books were recalled and the matter investigated with responsibility of the error blamed on the publisher, Arts Publishing House, instead of her ministry or educational authorities.
Benghabrit has faced growing pressure to resign following a number of scandals during her term in office. Earlier this year, the baccalaureate exam’s questions were leaked on social media causing the exam to be declared null, and forcing over 300,000 students to retake the notoriously difficult exam.