(San Francisco) Apple said Thursday that it was aware of a computer bug on iPhones reported by users: when they search for an emoticon to illustrate a message, the entry “Jerusalem” gives the Palestinian flag as a result.
Asked by AFP, the American technology giant declared that it was aware of a computer bug in the emoticon search tool on the iPhone keyboard.
The company clarified that this is not intentional behavior and that a correction will be made in the next update of iOS, the operating system for Apple’s mobile devices.
The problem was notably reported by Rachel Riley, a British television presenter, in a message on X addressed to Apple and Tim Cook, the group’s boss.
“Since I updated my phone, when I type in the capital of Israel, Jerusalem, I am offered the Palestinian flag emoticon. […] Below you will find a (non-exhaustive) list of capitals that do not offer their country’s flag, let alone the wrong one,” she wrote on Tuesday.
The vast majority of the international community does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, linking the fate of the holy city to the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Half a dozen countries, however, moved their embassies, until now in Tel Aviv, to Jerusalem, following the example of the United States, in May 2018, under the presidency of Donald Trump.
“Having double standards against Israel is a form of anti-Semitism, which is itself a form of racism against the Jewish people,” she added, signing “Sincerely , a Jewish woman concerned about the global rise of anti-Semitism. »
Wednesday evening she took note of Apple’s response, but expressed her doubts.
“The company says this is not intentional and that the issue will be resolved. In my opinion, a multinational like Apple would not want to publicly admit that this was an intentional act on the part of one or more employees, hence the description of the “bug”, but I “I hope that at least internally, the managers will no longer work for the company,” she wrote.
Online and in real life, many associations and personalities are warning about a resurgence of anti-Semitism since the unprecedented bloody attack by Hamas in Israel on October 7 and the deadly response by the Israeli army in Gaza.
In the United States, Israel’s main allies, President Joe Biden very regularly faces demonstrators who wave Palestinian flags during his public appearances and accuse him of supporting a “genocide”.