Iraq announces ban on Waze navigation app, citing its Israeli origins
Iraq's Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad said the Waze app will be banned from early 2027, or possibly the end of 2026, because it was developed in Israel. How the ban would be enforced and on what legal basis is unclear.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Iraq's Communications Minister, Mustafa Sanad, announced that the country will ban the navigation app Waze because it was developed in Israel. The NationalN “Iraq has announced it will ban the navigation app Waze from next year because it was developed in Israel.” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad announced the move on Tuesday.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1Sanad spoke on the sidelines of the Hitex 2026 technology exhibition in Erbil, in the Kurdish region, and said: "Because it comes from the entity [Israel] and is Israeli-made, we will ban it at the beginning of 2027." Al JazeeraLC “He made the announcement on the sidelines of the Hitex 2026 technology exhibition in Erbil, the capital of the semiautonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq.”““Because it comes from the entity [Israel] and is Israeli-made, we will ban it at the beginning of 2027,” he said.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2The timing is reported differently: The National says Sanad later wrote on Facebook that he would bring the ban forward to the end of this year after a wave of online mockery, while Al Jazeera cites the Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada saying the ministry plans to block Waze by the end of December, and Rudaw saying it would take effect at the start of 2027. The NationalN “In a separate post on his Facebook page, the minister said he would bring the ban forward to the end of this year, after a wave of online mockery.” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “The Ministry of Communications plans to block the use of Waze by the end of December, according to the Iraqi newspaper Al-Mada.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Mixed · 2Waze, which provides crowdsourced live traffic information, was founded in Israel in 2008 and bought by Google in 2013 for about $1 billion; it is widely used in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. The NationalN “Waze was founded in Israel in 2008 before expanding globally. In 2013, Google acquired the app for about $1 billion” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “It was developed in Israel, and Google bought it in 2013 for nearly $1bn.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2On Facebook, Sanad defended the decision by linking it to the war in Gaza, writing that such apps "help [with] scanning Gaza, and the app provides the company with money and information"; Al Jazeera notes that Rudaw reported security discussions in Iraq over Waze alerts being used to avoid checkpoints, though Sanad did not link the ban to that. The NationalN “such apps help [with] scanning Gaza, and the app provides the company with money and information” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Rudaw reported that the app has been the subject of security discussions in Iraq over its alerts being used to avoid checkpoints although Sanad did not link the ban to that issue.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1Sanad named Google Maps and Iraqi navigation apps as alternatives, and a ministry spokesman, Omar al-Amiri, said Waze would be replaced by a yet-to-be-named Iraqi app. Al JazeeraLC “Sanad said users could switch to Google Maps or Iraqi navigation apps.”“Communications Ministry spokesman Omar al-Amiri said in remarks carried by Al-Mada that Waze would be replaced by a yet-to-be-named Iraqi app.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Mixed · 2Critics on Sanad's Facebook page mocked the decision, noting that Google Maps is owned by Google, which also owns Waze; a technology researcher told Al-Mada a national alternative would need accurate geographic databases, a constantly updated road network, routing and live traffic data. The NationalN “many mocking the decision and pointing out that Google Maps, which he cited as an alternative, is owned by Google, which also owns Waze.” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “It would need accurate geographic databases, a constantly updated road network, routing systems and live data on traffic, accidents and closures, he said.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Iraq has no diplomatic relations with Israel, and a 2022 law criminalises diplomatic, political, military, economic or cultural ties with Israel, with penalties up to life imprisonment and death; Sanad has not said the Waze ban rests on that law. Al JazeeraLC “A 2022 law criminalises any diplomatic, political, military, economic or cultural ties with Israel.”“Sanad has not specifically said Waze must be blocked under the antinormalisation law.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ The NationalN “Iraq does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and Israeli-linked companies are prohibited from operating in the country” Read at The National ↗ Mixed · 2The move follows calls by Iran-aligned politicians and groups in Iraq to boycott Israeli-linked products since the Gaza war began in October 2023, and comes amid heightened distrust of Israel during the US-Israel war on Iran. The NationalN “The announcement follows a series of calls by Iran-aligned politicians and groups in Iraq to boycott Israeli-linked products and services since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Distrust of Israel has been bolstered by the US-Israel war on Iran.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Mixed · 2Open questions remain: how the ban will be enforced (telecoms blocking Waze servers or removal from app stores are possibilities), whether it covers the Kurdish region, its legal basis, why Google Maps would remain available, why the ban comes now, and when the Iraqi app will launch. The NationalN “It was not immediately clear how the ban will be enforced. Telecoms companies could be ordered to block Waze servers, or it could be removed from app stores in Iraq.” Read at The National ↗ Al JazeeraLC “The ministry has not said how the block will be enforced or whether it will cover the Kurdish region.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Explainer asking why Iraq is banning Waze, placing the move in the context of Israel-related law, regional war and data security.
- Emphasis
- Location-data and security implications, the 2022 anti-normalisation law, Israeli infiltration during the war on Iran, expert doubts about a national alternative, and what the government has not explained.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the minister's Facebook post linking the ban to Gaza or the online mockery of the decision.
- Charged language
- “Israeli infiltration”“US-Israel war on Iran”
- For example
-
“The government has also not answered why Waze is being banned now when its Israeli roots have been long known.” — Al Jazeera
“During the war, Iraq also faced a serious case of Israeli infiltration.” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Straight news report on the announcement, then the minister's Facebook justification and the online mockery it drew.
- Emphasis
- The minister's quotes, the Gaza-war rationale, public ridicule over Google Maps being owned by Waze's parent, and the boycott calls by Iran-aligned groups.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Iraq's 2022 anti-normalisation law, the checkpoint-alert security discussion or data-privacy debate.
- Charged language
- “wave of online mockery”
- For example
-
“The minister’s Facebook page was flooded with hundreds of comments within hours, many mocking the decision” — The National
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad announced Iraq will ban Waze because it was developed in Israel.
- Sanad cited Google Maps as an alternative.
- Google bought Waze in 2013 for about $1 billion.
- Iraq has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
- How the ban will be enforced has not been explained.
Where accounts differ
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When the ban takes effect
- Left
- Al Jazeera: Al-Mada says the end of December; Rudaw quotes Sanad as saying the start of 2027.
- Centre
- The National: announced for the beginning of 2027, but Sanad later said on Facebook he would bring it forward to the end of this year after online mockery.
Mustafa Sanad person
Says Waze will be banned because it is Israeli-made, and defended this on Facebook by saying such apps help scanning of Gaza and give the company money and information; recommends Google Maps or Iraqi apps instead.
““The reason is because it is made in Israel, therefore we will ban it at the beginning of 2027.” — The National
“such apps help [with] scanning Gaza, and the app provides the company with money and information” — The National
Iraq place
Its Communications Ministry plans to replace Waze with a yet-to-be-named Iraqi app, but has not set out enforcement, legal basis or launch date.
“Communications Ministry spokesman Omar al-Amiri said in remarks carried by Al-Mada that Waze would be replaced by a yet-to-be-named Iraqi app.” — Al Jazeera
“It has also not set out the ban’s legal basis or said when the Iraqi app will launch.” — Al Jazeera
Left1 article
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Why has Iraq decided to ban online map service Waze?
Mixed Explainer that sets the ban against Iraqi law, wartime distrust of Israel and data-security concerns, and lists unanswered questions for the government.
Centre1 article
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Iraq to ban Waze navigation app over Israeli links
Neutral Reports the announcement and the minister's justification, noting public mockery and the unclear enforcement.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 7 Oct 13:06 First The NationalN Iraq to ban Waze navigation app over Israeli links
- 9 Oct 08:48 +43h 42m Al JazeeraLC Why has Iraq decided to ban online map service Waze?
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.