Good Morning Britain was forced to issue an apology on Thursday after broadcasting an inaccurate map of Israel during a news report. Presenter Sean Fletcher clarified the error at the end of a bulletin at 6.17am, stating that the graphic had incorrectly shown the Golan Heights as part of Israel.
Fletcher said: 'Yesterday we showed a graphic map which included the Golan Heights as part of Israel. The UK government views the Golan Heights as occupied territory and does not recognise Israel's annexation of the land, and we are happy to clarify that.' The show did not reference the error in subsequent reports.
The apology comes amid heightened tensions in the region. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, warning of a threat of 'regional escalation' following Iranian missile and drone attacks against Israel. A nationwide state of emergency was declared in Israel on June 13.
Despite categorising the Golan Heights as occupied territory, the Foreign Office had included the area in its no-fly zones in Israel in a notice issued on June 13. Israeli airspace has been closed for several days, but outbound flights are set to resume on June 23 to repatriate stranded individuals, with priority given to tourists, those with medical needs, and diplomats.
