22 feb 2016
'Guys, we need to take the law into our own hands already and start slaughtering,' writes Eliyahu Eliav Mualem; 'It's very good that Abu Khdeir was 16. Let's hope the next Arabs who are murdered are younger,' another post reads.
Eliyahu Eliav Mualem, 27, from Modi'in, was indicted on Monday for writing Facebook posts calling for the murder of Arabs. He was charged with inciting violence and inciting racism.
"Guys, we need to take the law into our own hands already and start slaughtering," he wrote on Facebook. "After all, there isn't an Arab who isn't happy when Jews die, right? This is a great reason to start slaughtering them."
According to the indictment, filed by the Center District Attorney's Office with the approval of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Mualem posted these statements soon after the kidnapping and murder of the three Jewish teenagers, the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, and the murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir in the summer of 2014.
The indictment notes these statements are akin to encouraging violence or terrorism.
Mualem also called to hurt Israeli Arabs, and posted calls for violence against MK Haneen Zoabi (Joint List), as well as posted his support of violence and terror acts against left-wing Jews.
All of these posts, according to the indictment, were viewed by his 1,000 followers.
Following the murder of Abu Khdeir, Mualem wrote: "Jews unite! On with the murder of the next Arab. It's very good that (Abu Khdeir) was 16. Let's hope the next Arabs who are murdered are younger." In another post he wrote: "May the leftists die before the Arabs!"
He also wrote that: "Instead of having a group of right-wingers kidnapping Palestinians - and the emphasis here is on Palestinians - while disregarding the Shin Bet and the police and changing the rules of the game, we continue being bleeding hearts, not to mention the bastard leftists who live among us and have no place here!"
Mualem's lawyer, Kobi Ben-Shaaya, said that "the time in question was the time of the kidnapping of the three teenagers, following which the IDF launched Operation Protective Edge. If these statements were indeed made, they were certainly made in the heat of the moment, and God forbid had no intention of causing incitement."
Eliyahu Eliav Mualem, 27, from Modi'in, was indicted on Monday for writing Facebook posts calling for the murder of Arabs. He was charged with inciting violence and inciting racism.
"Guys, we need to take the law into our own hands already and start slaughtering," he wrote on Facebook. "After all, there isn't an Arab who isn't happy when Jews die, right? This is a great reason to start slaughtering them."
According to the indictment, filed by the Center District Attorney's Office with the approval of Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, Mualem posted these statements soon after the kidnapping and murder of the three Jewish teenagers, the beginning of Operation Protective Edge, and the murder of Palestinian teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir in the summer of 2014.
The indictment notes these statements are akin to encouraging violence or terrorism.
Mualem also called to hurt Israeli Arabs, and posted calls for violence against MK Haneen Zoabi (Joint List), as well as posted his support of violence and terror acts against left-wing Jews.
All of these posts, according to the indictment, were viewed by his 1,000 followers.
Following the murder of Abu Khdeir, Mualem wrote: "Jews unite! On with the murder of the next Arab. It's very good that (Abu Khdeir) was 16. Let's hope the next Arabs who are murdered are younger." In another post he wrote: "May the leftists die before the Arabs!"
He also wrote that: "Instead of having a group of right-wingers kidnapping Palestinians - and the emphasis here is on Palestinians - while disregarding the Shin Bet and the police and changing the rules of the game, we continue being bleeding hearts, not to mention the bastard leftists who live among us and have no place here!"
Mualem's lawyer, Kobi Ben-Shaaya, said that "the time in question was the time of the kidnapping of the three teenagers, following which the IDF launched Operation Protective Edge. If these statements were indeed made, they were certainly made in the heat of the moment, and God forbid had no intention of causing incitement."
13 feb 2016
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Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been a treading topic on social media since Wednesday, after posting on his personal social media accounts his new appearance in an Israeli commercial.
“There are rumors that I’m going to be a star in Israel. Not in soccer… In a HOT commercial,” he twitted. Palestinians, pro-Palestinian activists and Arabs from other states took to Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to criticize Cristiano Ronaldo for appearing in an ad belonging to an Israeli company. One user commented: “You spelled ‘OCCUPIED PALESTINE’ kinda weird there.” |
Another one wrote on Youtube: “I love Ronaldo but when I seen [sic] this video now I hate him.”
“You’re just on the wrong side of history… You’re so deceptive… The oppressed children of Gaza and Palestine will never forgive you for having sold your soul to Israel apartheid. What a disgrace,” read one comment underneath Ronaldo’s Facebook post.
Many others responded on Twitter with the hashtag #freepalestine. The tweet soon became a battleground between Israeli supporters and pro-Palestine ones, according to the PNN.
On the other side, Ronaldo was praised by Israelis and Israel’s supporters.
One user wrote: “It’s the country that provides medical treatment to the poor #syrian people and the only democracy in the #MiddleEast” as well as more aggressive ones like “to all the mohameds and ahmeds out there.. GET A LIFE! Involving politics and evil with football sucks.”
The new commercial for Israeli internet company HOT sees the 31-year-old Portuguese player alongside three Israeli comedians.
In the ad, the three Israelis praise the speed at which they can watch Ronaldo playing by using HOT’s 200MB cable connection when they are approached by Ronaldo himself.
Ronaldo’s announcement garnered over 2,400 re-tweets and over 6,400 likes within the first 22 hours, as of Thursday.
The video itself had more than 130,000 views in just three days but has a 2:1 ratio of likes to dislikes because of the controversy surrounding Ronaldo’s appearance on it.
See: 01/14/16 Real Madrid Invites Ahmad Dawabsha to Visit Team
“You’re just on the wrong side of history… You’re so deceptive… The oppressed children of Gaza and Palestine will never forgive you for having sold your soul to Israel apartheid. What a disgrace,” read one comment underneath Ronaldo’s Facebook post.
Many others responded on Twitter with the hashtag #freepalestine. The tweet soon became a battleground between Israeli supporters and pro-Palestine ones, according to the PNN.
On the other side, Ronaldo was praised by Israelis and Israel’s supporters.
One user wrote: “It’s the country that provides medical treatment to the poor #syrian people and the only democracy in the #MiddleEast” as well as more aggressive ones like “to all the mohameds and ahmeds out there.. GET A LIFE! Involving politics and evil with football sucks.”
The new commercial for Israeli internet company HOT sees the 31-year-old Portuguese player alongside three Israeli comedians.
In the ad, the three Israelis praise the speed at which they can watch Ronaldo playing by using HOT’s 200MB cable connection when they are approached by Ronaldo himself.
Ronaldo’s announcement garnered over 2,400 re-tweets and over 6,400 likes within the first 22 hours, as of Thursday.
The video itself had more than 130,000 views in just three days but has a 2:1 ratio of likes to dislikes because of the controversy surrounding Ronaldo’s appearance on it.
See: 01/14/16 Real Madrid Invites Ahmad Dawabsha to Visit Team
27 jan 2016
Israeli military court of Salem a few days ago sentenced the Palestinian citizen Mamdouh Abdulhaq, 25, from Nablus, with 14 months of actual imprisonment and 18 months of suspended sentence for the charge of incitement on Facebook.
The father of the captive told the PIC reporter that the court convicted his son with 21 charges including belonging to Hamas Movement and incitement against occupation by publishing Sheikh Ahmad Yassin's photos as well as posting calls for participation in anti-occupation marches on his Facebook page.
The Palestinian captive Abdulhaq was arrested after storming his home on November, 30, 2015. He is an ex-detainee as he served two years of imprisonment under administrative detention with no trial or charge in Israeli jails.
The father of the captive told the PIC reporter that the court convicted his son with 21 charges including belonging to Hamas Movement and incitement against occupation by publishing Sheikh Ahmad Yassin's photos as well as posting calls for participation in anti-occupation marches on his Facebook page.
The Palestinian captive Abdulhaq was arrested after storming his home on November, 30, 2015. He is an ex-detainee as he served two years of imprisonment under administrative detention with no trial or charge in Israeli jails.
24 jan 2016
Chief Israeli Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu announced Tuesday, on Facebook, that Palestinians should be executed in order to establish safety in Israel.
“Israeli army has to stop arresting Palestinians,” he posted on his Facebook wall, “but, it must execute them and leave no one alive.”
According to the PNN, Eliyahu is well known for his racist behavior and controversial statements about Arabs and Muslims. He has been calling on the government to carry out state-sanctioned revenge against Arabs in order to, in his words, "restore Israel’s deterrence."
The hard-right wing and bloodthirsty Chief Rabbi of Safed, and also a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council additionally declared that the Palestinians are the enemy of the Israeli occupation state and they “must be destroyed and crushed in order to end violence.”
In 2007, according to the Jerusalem Post, Eliyahu was quoted saying that “If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand. And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don’t stop we must kill 100.000, even a million.”
In 2012, Eliyahu was charged for racist statements. Among these were, according to Israel national news: “The Arab culture is very cruel,” and “The Arabs behave according to different codes, and violent norms that have turned into ideology.”
The rabbi allegedly stated that examples of this new Arab “ideology” now include stealing farm equipment from Jews and blackmailing farmers for protection against thefts. He also supposedly said that “the minute you make room for Arabs among Jews, it takes five minutes before they start to do whatever they want.” The justice ministry dropped the charges because the statements ‘may’ have been altered by reporters.
The Jerusalem Post reported him saying: “Should we leave them alive in order to then free them in another gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas? The fact that they still have a desire to commit terrorist attacks shows that we are not operating strongly enough,” he said.
Explaining more about his fatwa, Eliyahu wrote, on his facebook, page that “the Israel Police officers who do keep terrorist Palestinians alive should be prosecuted under the law.”
He went on: “We must not allow a Palestinian to survive after he was arrested. If you leave him alive, there is a fear that he will be released and kill other people.” He added: “We must eradicate this evil from within our midst.”
“Israeli army has to stop arresting Palestinians,” he posted on his Facebook wall, “but, it must execute them and leave no one alive.”
According to the PNN, Eliyahu is well known for his racist behavior and controversial statements about Arabs and Muslims. He has been calling on the government to carry out state-sanctioned revenge against Arabs in order to, in his words, "restore Israel’s deterrence."
The hard-right wing and bloodthirsty Chief Rabbi of Safed, and also a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council additionally declared that the Palestinians are the enemy of the Israeli occupation state and they “must be destroyed and crushed in order to end violence.”
In 2007, according to the Jerusalem Post, Eliyahu was quoted saying that “If they don’t stop after we kill 100, then we must kill a thousand. And if they do not stop after 1,000 then we must kill 10,000. If they still don’t stop we must kill 100.000, even a million.”
In 2012, Eliyahu was charged for racist statements. Among these were, according to Israel national news: “The Arab culture is very cruel,” and “The Arabs behave according to different codes, and violent norms that have turned into ideology.”
The rabbi allegedly stated that examples of this new Arab “ideology” now include stealing farm equipment from Jews and blackmailing farmers for protection against thefts. He also supposedly said that “the minute you make room for Arabs among Jews, it takes five minutes before they start to do whatever they want.” The justice ministry dropped the charges because the statements ‘may’ have been altered by reporters.
The Jerusalem Post reported him saying: “Should we leave them alive in order to then free them in another gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas? The fact that they still have a desire to commit terrorist attacks shows that we are not operating strongly enough,” he said.
Explaining more about his fatwa, Eliyahu wrote, on his facebook, page that “the Israel Police officers who do keep terrorist Palestinians alive should be prosecuted under the law.”
He went on: “We must not allow a Palestinian to survive after he was arrested. If you leave him alive, there is a fear that he will be released and kill other people.” He added: “We must eradicate this evil from within our midst.”
23 jan 2016
A European website has posted on its pages names of Palestinian journalists, bloggers and religious figures and accused them of inciting against the Israeli occupation state.
The European institute against incitement posted on its website pictures and identities of 22 Palestinians, including 10 journalist and bloggers, and described them as instigators because of their involvement in exposing Israeli crimes and stating positions in support of the Palestinian resistance.
The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate expressed its concern over the European institute's incitement against Palestinian journalists.
"We are deeply concerned for what has come in the website, especially against well-known journalists and members of the syndicate working for renowned Palestinian, Arab and foreign media agencies and outlets," the syndicate stated in a press release.
The syndicate considered the website's incitement against journalists "incitement and permission to kill and assault journalists."
It stressed that such incitement against journalists put the website and its administration in the circle of suspicion in terms of their affiliation and goals.
For its part, the Palestinian information ministry condemned the website's accusations against Palestinians as "a blind bias for Israel's terrorism."
"Publishing the identities of 22 Palestinians, including 10 journalists, by the institute's website has reflected a pathological behavior defending the executioner that practices all forms of murder and aggression," the ministry stated.
The ministry affirmed it would take all legal and technical steps against the people in charge of the website.
The European institute against incitement posted on its website pictures and identities of 22 Palestinians, including 10 journalist and bloggers, and described them as instigators because of their involvement in exposing Israeli crimes and stating positions in support of the Palestinian resistance.
The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate expressed its concern over the European institute's incitement against Palestinian journalists.
"We are deeply concerned for what has come in the website, especially against well-known journalists and members of the syndicate working for renowned Palestinian, Arab and foreign media agencies and outlets," the syndicate stated in a press release.
The syndicate considered the website's incitement against journalists "incitement and permission to kill and assault journalists."
It stressed that such incitement against journalists put the website and its administration in the circle of suspicion in terms of their affiliation and goals.
For its part, the Palestinian information ministry condemned the website's accusations against Palestinians as "a blind bias for Israel's terrorism."
"Publishing the identities of 22 Palestinians, including 10 journalists, by the institute's website has reflected a pathological behavior defending the executioner that practices all forms of murder and aggression," the ministry stated.
The ministry affirmed it would take all legal and technical steps against the people in charge of the website.
20 jan 2016
The Palestinian Detainees Committee has reported, Wednesday, that the Israeli Authorities have kidnapped 130 Palestinians, in 2015, for social media activities, deemed by Israel to be “incitement.”
The Committee said 27 of the detained Palestinians faced “incitement and supporting terrorist groups” charges in Israeli courts, and many others were imprisoned under Administrative Detention orders, without trial.
Most of the arrests were focused in occupied Jerusalem, especially due to the escalating Israeli violations, demolition of homes and ongoing attacks against worshipers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the repeated invasions and provocative tours into the holy site.
“Such arrests and violations are carried out while Israel continues to ignore racist Israeli social media posts, photos and statements by extremists who openly call for killing the Arabs, for executing them and for removing them out of their homeland.”
The Israeli army and police also targeted Palestinians who expressed solidarity with families of Palestinians, killed by soldiers and settlers, the detainees and the wounded, in addition to those who voicing opposition to Israel’s home demolition policies.
The Committee further stated that Israel did not only arrest social media activists, but also forced many of them out of their city, Jerusalem, for different periods, in addition to imposing high fines, and issuing many house arrest orders.
The Committee said 27 of the detained Palestinians faced “incitement and supporting terrorist groups” charges in Israeli courts, and many others were imprisoned under Administrative Detention orders, without trial.
Most of the arrests were focused in occupied Jerusalem, especially due to the escalating Israeli violations, demolition of homes and ongoing attacks against worshipers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the repeated invasions and provocative tours into the holy site.
“Such arrests and violations are carried out while Israel continues to ignore racist Israeli social media posts, photos and statements by extremists who openly call for killing the Arabs, for executing them and for removing them out of their homeland.”
The Israeli army and police also targeted Palestinians who expressed solidarity with families of Palestinians, killed by soldiers and settlers, the detainees and the wounded, in addition to those who voicing opposition to Israel’s home demolition policies.
The Committee further stated that Israel did not only arrest social media activists, but also forced many of them out of their city, Jerusalem, for different periods, in addition to imposing high fines, and issuing many house arrest orders.
18 jan 2016
The Israeli occupation government is considering mobilizing MKs to propose a bid to outlaw anti-Israel campaigns on Facebook, Israeli Channel Two reported Monday.
A meeting was convened overnight Sunday by the occupation ministers to that very end.
According to Channel Two, the Israeli government has been seeking initiatives to quell anti-Israel activism on social media networks.
Instructions were given by the Israeli Interior Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, with the support of Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, to discuss with other states, including Australia and the U.S., the possibility of activating the campaign overseas.
A lawsuit was filed against Facebook on behalf of some 20,000 Israeli signatories to stop anti-Israel activism.
Observers said the move comes as part of Israeli intents to quell the ongoing Jerusalem Intifada and crack down on anti-occupation activists.
A meeting was convened overnight Sunday by the occupation ministers to that very end.
According to Channel Two, the Israeli government has been seeking initiatives to quell anti-Israel activism on social media networks.
Instructions were given by the Israeli Interior Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, with the support of Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, to discuss with other states, including Australia and the U.S., the possibility of activating the campaign overseas.
A lawsuit was filed against Facebook on behalf of some 20,000 Israeli signatories to stop anti-Israel activism.
Observers said the move comes as part of Israeli intents to quell the ongoing Jerusalem Intifada and crack down on anti-occupation activists.
12 jan 2016
The Palestine Information Center (PIC), an independent Palestinian news website and network had their Facebook page temporarily suspended for publishing a 2009 cartoon by Brazilian political cartoonist Carlos Latuff. The graphic shows a woman walking and carrying a wounded child in front of an Israeli flag with one of the blue banners of the flag covering her mouth. Latuff’s text issued a warning: “SHHHHHHHHHH!!! Denouncing Israeli War Crimes Is Anti-Semitism“.
This is not a far flung radical concept since criticism of Israel and/or issues relating to the U.S. relationship to Israel, including criticism or mention of the Israel lobby are continually lambasted as anti-Semitic. The examples are endless, even President Obama was accused of anti Semitism.
Recalling the war crimes committed during those gruesome 22 days in the winter of 2008-2009, when Israel pummeled the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,300 people, including over 300 children — articulated in the Goldstone Report (pdf) released in September 2009 — I asked Latuff if there was a specific incident that prompted him to draw the cartoon in 2009. “Nope, not a specific incident, just to highlight the censorship often found on Internet related to everything critical to Israel”.
Accusations of anti Semitism are, arguably, the very first line of defense by Israel’s ardent defenders. But draw or publish a cartoon about it? Censored on Facebook:
The only vulgarity about this cartoon is the truth it helps expose. Responding to the news Facebook had removed his cartoon Latuff tweeted “This censorship proves EXACTLY the point of cartoon“. How ironic.
Rami Salaam, an administrator of PIC’s English Facebook page told Mondoweiss “Cartoons are usually targeted by Facebook more than anything else. Maybe because they appeal to people everywhere. Latuff’s cartoons are widely shared on our page and maybe that is why it was removed.”
PIC was not warned or notified prior to the removal of the cartoon. “It just disappeared” according to Salaam. He continued, “When we tried to login we got a message saying that that cartoon was removed because it violates Facebook polices and that our account that posted the cartoon is suspended for 3 days. – The reason for the deletion and suspension is fickle and meaningless because the cartoon is not graphic nor does it incite any kind of violence. The reason given is “We removed the post below because it doesn’t follow the Facebook Community Standards.” They also threatened to delete the whole page.”
I asked Salaam if this was an isolated incident and he mentioned PIC was suspended for a day two weeks ago for posting this photograph of “an Orthodox Jew and his daughter both carrying guns.” He sent me this screenshot:
This is not a far flung radical concept since criticism of Israel and/or issues relating to the U.S. relationship to Israel, including criticism or mention of the Israel lobby are continually lambasted as anti-Semitic. The examples are endless, even President Obama was accused of anti Semitism.
Recalling the war crimes committed during those gruesome 22 days in the winter of 2008-2009, when Israel pummeled the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,300 people, including over 300 children — articulated in the Goldstone Report (pdf) released in September 2009 — I asked Latuff if there was a specific incident that prompted him to draw the cartoon in 2009. “Nope, not a specific incident, just to highlight the censorship often found on Internet related to everything critical to Israel”.
Accusations of anti Semitism are, arguably, the very first line of defense by Israel’s ardent defenders. But draw or publish a cartoon about it? Censored on Facebook:
The only vulgarity about this cartoon is the truth it helps expose. Responding to the news Facebook had removed his cartoon Latuff tweeted “This censorship proves EXACTLY the point of cartoon“. How ironic.
Rami Salaam, an administrator of PIC’s English Facebook page told Mondoweiss “Cartoons are usually targeted by Facebook more than anything else. Maybe because they appeal to people everywhere. Latuff’s cartoons are widely shared on our page and maybe that is why it was removed.”
PIC was not warned or notified prior to the removal of the cartoon. “It just disappeared” according to Salaam. He continued, “When we tried to login we got a message saying that that cartoon was removed because it violates Facebook polices and that our account that posted the cartoon is suspended for 3 days. – The reason for the deletion and suspension is fickle and meaningless because the cartoon is not graphic nor does it incite any kind of violence. The reason given is “We removed the post below because it doesn’t follow the Facebook Community Standards.” They also threatened to delete the whole page.”
I asked Salaam if this was an isolated incident and he mentioned PIC was suspended for a day two weeks ago for posting this photograph of “an Orthodox Jew and his daughter both carrying guns.” He sent me this screenshot:
“We were also suspended and got a couple of videos removed over a month ago. The new thing we have noticed is that pictures/videos can now be removed by Facebook even if they follow the so called community standards. This is scary because soon we will not be able to post anything, it seems. So yes we do believe Facebook’s pro-Israel policy is tightening the noose around our freedom of speech.”
Facebook Community Standards can be viewed here.
During her trip to the U.S. in November 2015, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely met with representatives of YouTube and Google to discuss ways her ministry could “cooperate” against “inflammatory material” she claimed was inciting violence and terror attacks. Curiously, recently I searched for current videos of Israeli violence against Palestinians on both Google and Youtube and the only videos readily available dated back to last October, nothing current. Strange.
Facebook Community Standards can be viewed here.
During her trip to the U.S. in November 2015, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely met with representatives of YouTube and Google to discuss ways her ministry could “cooperate” against “inflammatory material” she claimed was inciting violence and terror attacks. Curiously, recently I searched for current videos of Israeli violence against Palestinians on both Google and Youtube and the only videos readily available dated back to last October, nothing current. Strange.
10 jan 2016
Bethany Koval, a Fair Lawn High School student, has found herself in the center of a national discussion involving free speech rights and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after school administrators questioned her about her posts on social media and warned that she could be in trouble under the state’s anti-bullying law.
Koval, also known as Benny, who identifies herself as an Israeli Jew, was reportedly called to the principal’s office, Wednesday, after a fellow student complained about comments she made on Twitter. The post involved criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and cheered that a pro-Israel student stopped following her on Twitter. She then tweeted, in detail, about the incident that followed.
“Principal just called me down. I’m about to be exposed for being anti-Israel. Pray for me.” (@bendykoval)
According to North Jersey News Agency, Benny was called into a meeting with three administrators, where the principal showed her a printout of her tweets about Israel. The tweets, she said, were not directed at any student.
“Her name was never mentioned,” she wrote in a message to the New York times on Wednesday night. “I never degraded her. They use ‘bullying’ as a guise to cover their pro-Israel, pro-censorship agenda.”
Reportedly, school officials said their actions had nothing to do with censorship or politics. They said they were only following rules under the state’s anti-bullying law that requires them to investigate students’ allegations of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Experts, though, say the school didn’t have to take such strong action and has some discretion in deciding which cases warrant investigation.
“We stress, at the outset, that at no time have district officials sought to censor or reprimand any pupils for their online speech,” said Superintendent Bruce Watson in a statement addressing the incident.
He added: “The investigation is focused solely on the factors we are required to apply by law and not upon any political opinions expressed by pupils.”
During the meeting with school administrators, Koval recorded — apparently without the school’s knowledge — an assistant principal asked her:
“Do you realize what you put out electronically could get you in trouble?” and referenced the state law against bullying.
Koval posted parts of the recordings on her Twitter feed, which since have been made private.
Worldwide support
On Friday, Benny continued to draw wide support online, as people viewed the incident as an attempt to stifle free speech and criticism of Israel. With nearly 7,500 followers on twitter, thousands of people supported her online, some using the hashtag #IStandWithBenny. Many also called and emailed the school to complain.
But, one video, reportedly made by the cyber-hacking group Anonymous, did cause some concern, he said. Anonymous is, in several cases, known for supporting Palestine, including Operation Israel, a coordinated cyber attack. In the video, they command school officials to apologize publicly and not take legal action against Koval.
“If you fail to meet these simple requests for one who has done no wrong, committed no crime, only exercised her constitutionally protected right to free speech, it will be you who suffers in the end,” the group said.
From across the U.S., people have been weighing in about the Fair Lawn High School incident, while various media outlets have been covering her story. The issue hit a nerve, it seemed, because of the heated and emotional debate that surrounds the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Koval, also known as Benny, who identifies herself as an Israeli Jew, was reportedly called to the principal’s office, Wednesday, after a fellow student complained about comments she made on Twitter. The post involved criticism of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians and cheered that a pro-Israel student stopped following her on Twitter. She then tweeted, in detail, about the incident that followed.
“Principal just called me down. I’m about to be exposed for being anti-Israel. Pray for me.” (@bendykoval)
According to North Jersey News Agency, Benny was called into a meeting with three administrators, where the principal showed her a printout of her tweets about Israel. The tweets, she said, were not directed at any student.
“Her name was never mentioned,” she wrote in a message to the New York times on Wednesday night. “I never degraded her. They use ‘bullying’ as a guise to cover their pro-Israel, pro-censorship agenda.”
Reportedly, school officials said their actions had nothing to do with censorship or politics. They said they were only following rules under the state’s anti-bullying law that requires them to investigate students’ allegations of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Experts, though, say the school didn’t have to take such strong action and has some discretion in deciding which cases warrant investigation.
“We stress, at the outset, that at no time have district officials sought to censor or reprimand any pupils for their online speech,” said Superintendent Bruce Watson in a statement addressing the incident.
He added: “The investigation is focused solely on the factors we are required to apply by law and not upon any political opinions expressed by pupils.”
During the meeting with school administrators, Koval recorded — apparently without the school’s knowledge — an assistant principal asked her:
“Do you realize what you put out electronically could get you in trouble?” and referenced the state law against bullying.
Koval posted parts of the recordings on her Twitter feed, which since have been made private.
Worldwide support
On Friday, Benny continued to draw wide support online, as people viewed the incident as an attempt to stifle free speech and criticism of Israel. With nearly 7,500 followers on twitter, thousands of people supported her online, some using the hashtag #IStandWithBenny. Many also called and emailed the school to complain.
But, one video, reportedly made by the cyber-hacking group Anonymous, did cause some concern, he said. Anonymous is, in several cases, known for supporting Palestine, including Operation Israel, a coordinated cyber attack. In the video, they command school officials to apologize publicly and not take legal action against Koval.
“If you fail to meet these simple requests for one who has done no wrong, committed no crime, only exercised her constitutionally protected right to free speech, it will be you who suffers in the end,” the group said.
From across the U.S., people have been weighing in about the Fair Lawn High School incident, while various media outlets have been covering her story. The issue hit a nerve, it seemed, because of the heated and emotional debate that surrounds the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
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