Youtube Becomes Israel’s New Battleground against Palestinians
A ‘war on incitement’ waged through
YouTube and Facebook won’t change Palestinian suffering.
YouTube and Facebook won’t change Palestinian suffering.
Once it fell to politicians and diplomats to solve international
conflicts. Now, according to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
responsibility lies with social media.
conflicts. Now, according to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
responsibility lies with social media.
Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, headed off to
Silicon Valley to meet senior executives at Google and its subsidiary YouTube
late last month. Her task was to persuade them that, for the sake of peace,
they must censor the growing number of Palestinian videos posted on YouTube.
Silicon Valley to meet senior executives at Google and its subsidiary YouTube
late last month. Her task was to persuade them that, for the sake of peace,
they must censor the growing number of Palestinian videos posted on YouTube.
Netanyahu claims these videos spur other Palestinians to carry
out attacks, exemplified by the weeks of stabbings and car rammings against
Israeli soldiers and civilians.
out attacks, exemplified by the weeks of stabbings and car rammings against
Israeli soldiers and civilians.
After the meeting, the foreign ministry issued a press release
claiming Google had joined Israel’s “war against incitement”, and
would establish a “joint apparatus” to prevent the posting of
“inflammatory” videos. Google denied last week that any agreement was
reached.
claiming Google had joined Israel’s “war against incitement”, and
would establish a “joint apparatus” to prevent the posting of
“inflammatory” videos. Google denied last week that any agreement was
reached.
On other fronts of this so-called war, the Israeli army has shut
down three West Bank radio stations, accusing them of fomenting unrest. And
inside Israel, officials have shut a newspaper and a separate website catering
to Israel’s large Palestinian minority.
down three West Bank radio stations, accusing them of fomenting unrest. And
inside Israel, officials have shut a newspaper and a separate website catering
to Israel’s large Palestinian minority.
Meanwhile, Palestinians, including children, are being arrested
over their Facebook posts. Others accused by Netanyahu of spreading terror-like
incitement include Hamas, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian
education system, Palestinian parties in Israel’s parliament and human rights
organisations.
over their Facebook posts. Others accused by Netanyahu of spreading terror-like
incitement include Hamas, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian
education system, Palestinian parties in Israel’s parliament and human rights
organisations.
There is a deep cynicism at work here.
True, Palestinians are enraged by footage showing their
compatriots shot or executed by Israelis, often after they have been disarmed
or cornered, or – in the case of two teenage girls last month – badly injured.
compatriots shot or executed by Israelis, often after they have been disarmed
or cornered, or – in the case of two teenage girls last month – badly injured.
But in many cases such videos are posted not by Palestinians but
by ordinary Israelis or their government as proof of a supposed Palestinian
“barbarism”.
by ordinary Israelis or their government as proof of a supposed Palestinian
“barbarism”.
Most Palestinian videos are simply a record of their bitter
experiences of occupation at the hands of soldiers and settlers. It is these
experiences, not the videos, that drive Palestinians to breaking point.
experiences of occupation at the hands of soldiers and settlers. It is these
experiences, not the videos, that drive Palestinians to breaking point.
A “war on incitement” waged through YouTube and
Facebook won’t change Palestinian suffering. But it may, Netanyahu presumably
hopes, conceal Israel’s brutality from the eyes of the world.
Facebook won’t change Palestinian suffering. But it may, Netanyahu presumably
hopes, conceal Israel’s brutality from the eyes of the world.
Unrest has escalated of late not because of social media but
because Palestinians, faced with an Israeli government implacably opposed to
ending the occupation, are losing all hope.
because Palestinians, faced with an Israeli government implacably opposed to
ending the occupation, are losing all hope.
Israel’s generals have warned Netanyahu that without a
diplomatic process there will be no end to the attacks. Desperate to obscure
this obvious truth, the Israeli right needs to blame everything apart from its
own uncompromising ideology.
diplomatic process there will be no end to the attacks. Desperate to obscure
this obvious truth, the Israeli right needs to blame everything apart from its
own uncompromising ideology.
Israel’s battle against “incitement” is not just meant
to deflect attention from the right’s failing policies. It is also a form of
incitement itself, and it is no surprise the campaign is led by two masters of
provocation: Netanyahu and Hotovely.
to deflect attention from the right’s failing policies. It is also a form of
incitement itself, and it is no surprise the campaign is led by two masters of
provocation: Netanyahu and Hotovely.
Israel has accused Palestinians of incitement for suggesting
that Al Aqsa, the much-revered mosque in Jerusalem, is under threat, yet
Hotovely recently said her “dream” was to see the Israeli flag flying
at Al Aqsa.
that Al Aqsa, the much-revered mosque in Jerusalem, is under threat, yet
Hotovely recently said her “dream” was to see the Israeli flag flying
at Al Aqsa.
There was a reminder, too, of Netanyahu’s own dismal record. An
investigation was dropped last month against the prime minister over his
warnings, using Israeli terminology for a military emergency, that Palestinian
citizens were coming out “in droves” to vote in March’s general
election.
investigation was dropped last month against the prime minister over his
warnings, using Israeli terminology for a military emergency, that Palestinian
citizens were coming out “in droves” to vote in March’s general
election.
A consequence of government-inspired incitement is an ever
uglier climate. In many towns, crowds calling “death to the Arabs”
barely raise an eyebrow any more.
uglier climate. In many towns, crowds calling “death to the Arabs”
barely raise an eyebrow any more.
The justice minister, Ayelet Shaked, has backed a bill to
stigmatise Israeli human-rights groups that receive foreign, mostly European,
funding. And the culture minister, Miri Regev, demanded that films showing in
an Israeli festival about the Nakba, the Palestinians’ mass dispossession in
1948, be vetted for “incitement” and the cinemas showing them
threatened with defunding.
stigmatise Israeli human-rights groups that receive foreign, mostly European,
funding. And the culture minister, Miri Regev, demanded that films showing in
an Israeli festival about the Nakba, the Palestinians’ mass dispossession in
1948, be vetted for “incitement” and the cinemas showing them
threatened with defunding.
Public meetings with groups such as Breaking the Silence,
Israeli army veterans who want to shed light on the occupation, are being cancelled
under police pressure.
Israeli army veterans who want to shed light on the occupation, are being cancelled
under police pressure.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, is giving a free hand to far right news
sites as they make false and pernicious claims.
sites as they make false and pernicious claims.
One, Newsdesk Israel, took a four-year-old video of Palestinians
revelling at their acceptance into the United Nations and repackaged it as
footage of Palestinians celebrating ISIL’s massacres in Paris. Another
fabricated report suggested Palestinian citizens were proselytising for ISIL by
blasting its songs on their car stereos.
revelling at their acceptance into the United Nations and repackaged it as
footage of Palestinians celebrating ISIL’s massacres in Paris. Another
fabricated report suggested Palestinian citizens were proselytising for ISIL by
blasting its songs on their car stereos.
In fact, no target seems too big to avoid the Israeli right’s
defamation – not even Europe, Israel’s largest trading partner.
defamation – not even Europe, Israel’s largest trading partner.
Israeli politicians have misrepresented as a full-blown boycott
the EU’s recent tepid move to label products from illegal West Bank settlements
and thereby deny them special customs exemptions reserved for Israeli products.
The right argues Israel is being uniquely punished by Europe, when in truth the
EU has enforced economic sanctions, not just labelling, against 36 countries.
the EU’s recent tepid move to label products from illegal West Bank settlements
and thereby deny them special customs exemptions reserved for Israeli products.
The right argues Israel is being uniquely punished by Europe, when in truth the
EU has enforced economic sanctions, not just labelling, against 36 countries.
Incitement does indeed pose a threat to the future of Israelis
and Palestinians. But it is to be found in the falsehoods promoted by Netanyahu
and his ministers, not the bitter truths being posted on YouTube.
and Palestinians. But it is to be found in the falsehoods promoted by Netanyahu
and his ministers, not the bitter truths being posted on YouTube.
– Jonathan Cook
won the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His latest books are
“Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake
the Middle East” (Pluto Press) and “Disappearing Palestine: Israel’s
Experiments in Human Despair” (Zed Books). He contributed this article to
PalestineChronicle.com. Visit: www.jonathan-cook.net.
(A version of this article first appeared in the National, Abu Dhabi. )
won the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His latest books are
“Israel and the Clash of Civilisations: Iraq, Iran and the Plan to Remake
the Middle East” (Pluto Press) and “Disappearing Palestine: Israel’s
Experiments in Human Despair” (Zed Books). He contributed this article to
PalestineChronicle.com. Visit: www.jonathan-cook.net.
(A version of this article first appeared in the National, Abu Dhabi. )
