A major French publisher has pulled a school dictionary from shelves after it described the Israeli victims of the October 7, 2023 attacks as Jewish settlers. The company announced a full review of its educational materials following widespread criticism.
The dictionary, intended for students aged 11 to 15, repeated the same wording that an anti racism organization had earlier flagged in three study guides. The disputed entry stated that more than 1,200 Jewish settlers were killed in Hamas attacks, prompting Israel to tighten its blockade and launch a military operation in Gaza.
The October 7 assault, the deadliest in Israel’s history, saw militants kill about 1,200 people in communities near the Gaza border and at a music festival. The term Jewish settlers typically refers to Israelis living in territories considered illegally occupied under international law, making its use in this context highly contentious.
The publisher said all four affected books were immediately withdrawn and will be destroyed. It also pledged a thorough review of its textbooks, learning materials and dictionaries.
The company, now controlled by businessman Vincent Bollore, has opened an internal investigation to determine how the error occurred. It also promised to introduce a stronger verification process for future publications.
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the wording earlier this week, calling it intolerable that study guides for the national baccalaureat exam misrepresented the facts surrounding what he described as terrorist and antisemitic attacks by Hamas. He added that revisionism has no place in the Republic.
According to official Israeli figures, the October 7 attack resulted in 1,221 deaths and 251 hostages.
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