French children's magazine removed over 'mistake' on Israel

PARIS – A French children's magazine has been withdrawn from newsstands after it admitted a "mistake" in writing that Israel wasn't a "real country."

The news editor for Youpi, a magazine for children from 5 to 8, told The Associated Press on Tuesday the January issue was being removed from kiosk sales in France and Belgium after writing that Israel was among a few states in the world that aren't "real countries."

Bertrand Fichou said he humbly apologizes for the mistake and that his intention wasn't to challenge the legitimacy of the state of Israel.

He said that "I'll blame myself for it all my life."

The two-sentence text caused an uproar on social media, and French Jewish group CRIF asked the publisher to remove the January issue from sales.