What about Kosovo?

This week I couldn’t find the map of Israel/Palestine on Google maps, thought today I had no problem and could easily zoom in on everything. So that problem is solved for now, but I need to check different browsers or else my problem has been solved. It could be something about a blocked IP address. The other case, of Kosovo, is still there because it’s not a full country on Google maps. It makes me think of virtual places that do not exist in the real world, but this is a physical place that does not exist in the virtual world. Is this therefore a placeless space, like Castell wrote about in his trilogy, if it does not to be found on a map? What is the national identity here? Miriyam Aouragh writes about the Palestinian people and how they function as a strong community and hold on to a national identity (2008: 41-42). (¹) What’s this like for people in Kosovo and their identity?

Another thing about Kosovo is the top-level domain which they have requested but doesn’t exist yet, where the Palestinian territories have their .ps for the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This way their country is denied online.

Where’s Palestine/Israel? I

Just today I was looking up the distance between Cairo and Eilat for some reason and could not find the latter city on Google maps. When I check the satellite image I could see it but not when I check the map. All the surrounding countries have roads and cities to show, except Palestine/Israel. I could use the search button but on the map all the roads have dead ends, as if there’s nothing, as if it’s a big secret. I will try to find other maps online. I wonder now in what way Google maps should be independent like maps should be.

Another thing is Kosovo, on Google maps it’s not a country so it looks like Google takes a stand and does not accept Kosovo here?