Global Censorship of Palestinian Solidarity
A deeply troubling pattern of censorship and suppression has emerged, targeting those who dare to stand in unwavering support of the Palestinian people. The recent events are not isolated. Palestine has been fighting the Israeli occupation for decades. Israel has been labeled an apartheid state by multiple organizations, including United Nations experts, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and more.
As Israel continues to unleash unencumbered violence against Palestinian civilians, it is imperative to express unequivocal support for the Palestinian cause. What’s more disturbing is the recent crackdown on this solidarity that people around the world have shown. Protests and written statements have led to people having employment offers rescinded, being detained, expelled from school, and more. To live in a world where human rights are respected, we must condemn actions that infringe upon the rights and voices of those who express their solidarity. Below are just some of the ways governments and other bodies have censored those who express solidarity with Palestine.
Ban on Pro-Palestine Demonstrations: Hungary and Austria have blocked these demonstrations since October 7th and some European countries are moving to do the same. The decision to ban pro-Palestine rallies during the ongoing Gaza conflict is nothing short of an assault on the right to express solidarity with the Palestinians. Both Germany and France have cited that this was done to protect Jewish communities, but many state that they are not protesting against Jewish individuals, but against the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Gaza at the hands of the Israeli military. France originally enforced a ban on all pro-Palestinian demonstrations but the Conseil d’Etat ruled that the decision on protests must be a case-by-case basis. The world has witnessed the loss of innocent lives and the obliteration in Gaza, yet the voices of those who wish to express their empathy and support for the Palestinian people have been unjustly silenced during this critical moment.
Doxxing: There are many platforms dedicated to tracking anti-Semitism, and while many of them are beneficial in tracking hate, some are being used to dox individuals who speak out against the Israeli occupation, conflating this with being hateful towards Jewish people. Many of these platforms post the contact and employment information of Pro-Palesitian individuals so people can harass them and call for their termination or expulsion. The case of NYU Law student, Ryna Workman, losing a prestigious job offer as well as her position as student body president for having the courage to speak out against the violence and colonization inflicted upon Palestinians is an affront to free speech and academic freedom. Her contact information has been posted as well as many others who simply resist the genocide that is happening in Gaza. Students at Harvard University had their names and faces displayed on a billboard truck that drove around campus for days after they signed a statement expressing their solidarity with Palestinian people. This threat of doxxing has led many people to hesitate in publishing their solidarity.
Telecommunications Blackout in Gaza: The telecommunications blackout in the Gaza Strip, as reported by Access Now, has limited people from sharing their live reports of the attacks from Israel. It is imperative for those in a conflict to broadcast what is happening so people can see live footage of what they are facing. Such restrictions on communication in conflict zones only serve to obscure the truth and endanger the lives of civilians caught in the crossfire.
Targeting of Palestinian Citizens in Israel: Palestinians who hold Israeli citizenship are being targeted, arrested, and accused of promoting violence. This includes the derogatory labeling of "Palestinians 48”, which is a label given to the Palestinians who remained within Israel's 1948 borders since the Nakba. These citizens are accused of having connections to terrorism even when solely expressing solidarity with Gaza's victims. Students are facing threats from their universities and risk losing their education and jobs.
Media Suspensions: U.S. news station MSNBC suspended 3 of their Muslim anchors as the Israeli war in Gaza unfolded. MSNBC denies the notion that they were silencing their anchors, but it’s quite a coincidence to see 3 Muslim anchors suddenly taken off air after the recent events that have unfolded. This raises questions about the diversity of voices in the media and leads to concerns about the potential silencing of these voices. The suspension of Muslim anchors, particularly during the ethnic cleansing of Muslim Palestinians in Gaza, creates the perception of bias and censorship. The anchors have since returned on air, with many applauding this as a result of the swift condemnation of targeted censorship based on religion.
Shadow Banning on Social Media: Many social media users have reported a decrease in views when sharing pro-Palestinian posts or news. Bans on pro-Palestine posts on Meta platforms, including Instagram, have raised deep concerns about freedom of expression. People have shared that normally they receive hundreds of impressions (views) on their regular posts, but when they share information about Palestine, their impressions decrease drastically. Others have reported that their posts were deleted completely without much reason as to why. Such actions limit the visibility of posts expressing solidarity with Palestinians, thereby stifling open dialogue and awareness. It is essential to ensure that social media platforms uphold the principles of free speech while taking measures to combat the spread of hate speech and misinformation.
Instagram ‘Terrorist’ Label on Pro-Palestine Supporters: In a recent incident, Instagram issued an apology that shed light on the challenges faced by those who express solidarity with Palestine on social media platforms and the extent to which misinformation and biased algorithms can impact their ability to engage in meaningful discourse. The apology came after a troubling discovery that Instagram's automatic translation feature had added the word 'terrorist' to some Palestinian user profiles. This added term was not only highly misleading but also exceptionally harmful.
The incident underscores the pervasive issue of unnecessary labeling that individuals who express support for Palestine frequently encounter. Such labeling can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and misrepresent their true intentions. In this case, adding the term 'terrorist' to Palestinian user profiles is not only factually inaccurate but allows people to associate being pro-Palestine with terrorism. It erroneously associates individuals expressing solidarity with a just cause with violence, effectively silencing their voices and tarnishing their reputation.
The right to express disdain for an occupation, collective punishment, and ethnic cleansing is dire now more than ever. This right must be respected and its practice must never bring about the loss of employment or education. As censorship grows, so does the resistance to it. People have not wavered in their commitment to seeing that Palestine is free. Protests have continued in France and Germany, regardless of the bans. People are finding ways around the shadow banning on Instagram by first screenshotting what they wish to post and then posting the screenshot. Many think that by doing this it by-passes the scanning of words so that the algorithm does not limit the views. More and more individuals are publicly labeling themselves as pro-Palestine with little fear of the repercussions they might face. Censorship historically has been used to instill fear and compliance in any resistance movement.
Palestine deserves to be heard. The attacks they have long faced and are currently facing at the hands of the Israeli government must be heard. We unequivocally condemn all moves to censor and threaten solidarity with Palestine. The right to have your voice heard must be respected and protected. Solidarity with Palestine. And solidarity with all who stand up against the violent censorship.
Follow the voices of Gaza to amplify their voices and support the strong Palestinian women who are trying their best to document the crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip.
