Dozens of聽Palestinian journalists聽protested social media giant Facebook on March 5, criticising its routine blocking of accounts from the Middle Eastern country.
The media workers gathered outside the聽United Nations聽office in Gaza City with banners that read 鈥淔acebook is complicit in [Israel鈥檚] crimes鈥, and 鈥淔acebook favours the [Israeli] occupation鈥.
The protest was organised by聽Palestinian NGO Journalists Support Committee.
Hamas spokesperson Salama Maarouf accused Facebook of restricting about聽200 accounts聽from Palestine last year. Maarouf said the social media company carried out the blocks 鈥渙n phony pretexts鈥. Maarouf added that that a large portion of Israeli Facebook accounts 鈥渙penly incite violence against Palestinians鈥.
鈥淸Nothing happens] to Israelis who publish a status calling for killing Palestinians,鈥 Maarouf said. 鈥淏ut if Palestinians post any news about something happening on the ground or done by an Israeli soldier, Facebook [may] close the account or the page, or delete the post.鈥
In December, The Intercept reported that Facebook had been working with Israeli government officials to suppress Palestinian voices on social media through censorship, removal or blocking of content deemed critical of Israel. These posts are branded as 鈥渋ncitement鈥.
Two years ago, Facebook signed an agreement with Israel鈥檚 Justice Ministry to 鈥渕onitor鈥 content on Palestinian accounts, Al Jazeera reported. In response, several Palestinian journalists and activists have created Sada Social to record violations against Palestinian content on social networks.
[Reprinted from .]
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