Once again, Apple has fallen back on its developer guidelines as a reason for pulling an app that caused a public-relations catastrophe.

In just about 24 hours after a letter of complaint from an Israeli minister, it removed the Third Intifada app from the iTunes store.

“We removed this app from the App Store because it violates the developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people,” an Apple spokesman said Wednesday evening.

The same reason was cited as cause for removal of the “gay cure” app back in March after it unleashed a huge protest.

The question remains: doesn’t anyone at Apple read these guidelines first?

You could (and for the purpose of discussion, please do) substitute or Baby Shaker, iSlam Muhammad — both apps Apple had to remove after a predictable public outcry.

It’d be so much easier if they vetted the apps instead of approving, then yanking them.