Dictionary recalled over ‘Jewish settler’ reference

PARIS, France (AFP) — French publisher Hachette on Friday said it had recalled a dictionary that described the Israeli victims of the 7 October 2023 attacks as “Jewish settlers” and promised to review all its textbooks and educational materials.

The Larousse dictionary for 11- to 15-year-old students contained the same phrase as that discovered by an anti-racism body in three revision books, the company told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The entry in French reads: “In October 2023, following the death of more than 1,200 Jewish settlers in a series of Hamas attacks, Israel decided to tighten its economic blockade and invade a large part of the Gaza Strip, triggering a major humanitarian crisis in the region.”

“Jewish settlers” is a term used to describe Israelis living on illegally occupied Palestinian land.

The four books, which were immediately withdrawn from sale, are subject to a recall procedure and will be destroyed, Hachette said, promising a “thorough review of its textbooks, educational materials and dictionaries.”

France’s leading publishing group has begun an internal inquiry “to determine how such an error was made.”