21 july 2016
A new bill proposing fines for social media sites that do not remove anti-occupation content received the Israeli government’s approval on Sunday, the Jerusalem Post reported.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill authored by MK Revital Swid (Zionist Union) giving social media providers, including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, 48 hours to remove anti-Israel content.
Social media platforms that neglect to remove incitement will be fined $78,000 per post.
If it emerges that the site was aware of the post, for example, if it was quoted in major news outlets, but still did not remove it, the fine will be increased.
The legislation classifies terror-inciting posts as those that call to or encourage anti-occupation activism and attacks.
The bill enjoys widespread support in the current Knesset, with 21 MKs signed as sponsors from a broad cross-section of extremist parties. It sailed through its preliminary vote by 50 to 4, with one abstention.
But Arab MK Abdul Hakim Hajj Yahya of the Joint (Arab) List objected to the bill, saying it was intended to target Arab social media users. “All of these laws are only implemented against the Arabs,” he said.
“Why doesn’t this law have a section about calls to racism, why only terror?
This law is another racist law and another law that continues to express the discrimination [against Arabs].” In March 2016, Facebook figures said some 296,000 posts and 136,000 photos are published on the network each minute from its estimated 1.09 billion active daily users.
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill authored by MK Revital Swid (Zionist Union) giving social media providers, including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, 48 hours to remove anti-Israel content.
Social media platforms that neglect to remove incitement will be fined $78,000 per post.
If it emerges that the site was aware of the post, for example, if it was quoted in major news outlets, but still did not remove it, the fine will be increased.
The legislation classifies terror-inciting posts as those that call to or encourage anti-occupation activism and attacks.
The bill enjoys widespread support in the current Knesset, with 21 MKs signed as sponsors from a broad cross-section of extremist parties. It sailed through its preliminary vote by 50 to 4, with one abstention.
But Arab MK Abdul Hakim Hajj Yahya of the Joint (Arab) List objected to the bill, saying it was intended to target Arab social media users. “All of these laws are only implemented against the Arabs,” he said.
“Why doesn’t this law have a section about calls to racism, why only terror?
This law is another racist law and another law that continues to express the discrimination [against Arabs].” In March 2016, Facebook figures said some 296,000 posts and 136,000 photos are published on the network each minute from its estimated 1.09 billion active daily users.
Palestinian professor Imad Barghouthi appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court against his indictment by an Israeli military court for “incitement” due to posting on Facebook, said his lawyer, Jawad Boulos.
In the context of this appeal, the Ofer military court postponed Barghouthi’s hearing until 21 August, following the Supreme Court’s action on the appeal.
Barghouthi, a renowned Palestinian professor, was sentenced to administrative detention without charge or trial, an act which sparked protests from scientists and academics around the world.
When he was scheduled to be released on 29 May, the Israeli occupation prosecution instead filed “incitement” charges against him.
Barghouthi is among hundreds of Palestinians targeted for arrest, imprisonment and military prosecution for writing and speaking on social media about their experience under occupation and support for Palestinian liberation.
In a related development, lawyer Boulos said following a prison-visit that the two Palestinian detainees Muhammad and Mahmoud Balboul, from Bethlehem, have continued their hunger strike in protest at being held administratively in an Israeli jail without charge or trial.
In the context of this appeal, the Ofer military court postponed Barghouthi’s hearing until 21 August, following the Supreme Court’s action on the appeal.
Barghouthi, a renowned Palestinian professor, was sentenced to administrative detention without charge or trial, an act which sparked protests from scientists and academics around the world.
When he was scheduled to be released on 29 May, the Israeli occupation prosecution instead filed “incitement” charges against him.
Barghouthi is among hundreds of Palestinians targeted for arrest, imprisonment and military prosecution for writing and speaking on social media about their experience under occupation and support for Palestinian liberation.
In a related development, lawyer Boulos said following a prison-visit that the two Palestinian detainees Muhammad and Mahmoud Balboul, from Bethlehem, have continued their hunger strike in protest at being held administratively in an Israeli jail without charge or trial.
18 july 2016
Over the last few years, Israel and its most ardent supporters have waged a campaign to restrict critical speech of the Jewish state on social media. They want the state to have the same rights as individuals under Facebook’s community standards.
As it stands, threats against individuals, are prohibited. But smearing a nation, or threatening it, is viewed by Facebook as protected political speech.
Recently, the dispute has gotten ugly. Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called Facebook a “monster” last week, for not increasing its censorship. Now, this disagreement between Israel and Facebook is headed to the courts.
Relatives of four Israeli-Americans and one American tourists killed in Israel and the occupied West Bank between 2014 and June 2016 are suing Facebook for $1 billion in damages, claiming the social media site promotes “terrorism” and “knowingly and intentionally assisted” in their deaths.
The case was filed in New York federal court.
Representing the bereaved is an Israeli law and advocacy group, Shurat HaDin, which describes itself as litigating on “the forefront of fighting terrorism and safeguarding Jewish rights worldwide.”
The group states its goals are “safeguarding the Jewish state,” and has special activists projects in “Defending Israel from War Crimes and Combating Lawfare and BDS [the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement].”
Shurat HaDin is experienced in seeking payment from companies in U.S. courts over the killings of Americans that took place in Israel. It has filed droves of victims compensations claims from terrorism-related incidents in the past. Most target financial institutions that provide bank accounts for members of Hamas or the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, with few victories.
Although, in 2015, Shurat HaDin won a case against the Palestinian government’s U.S.-based mission over the deaths of Americans.
The Facebook case is its first against a social media site.
As it stands, threats against individuals, are prohibited. But smearing a nation, or threatening it, is viewed by Facebook as protected political speech.
Recently, the dispute has gotten ugly. Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan called Facebook a “monster” last week, for not increasing its censorship. Now, this disagreement between Israel and Facebook is headed to the courts.
Relatives of four Israeli-Americans and one American tourists killed in Israel and the occupied West Bank between 2014 and June 2016 are suing Facebook for $1 billion in damages, claiming the social media site promotes “terrorism” and “knowingly and intentionally assisted” in their deaths.
The case was filed in New York federal court.
Representing the bereaved is an Israeli law and advocacy group, Shurat HaDin, which describes itself as litigating on “the forefront of fighting terrorism and safeguarding Jewish rights worldwide.”
The group states its goals are “safeguarding the Jewish state,” and has special activists projects in “Defending Israel from War Crimes and Combating Lawfare and BDS [the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement].”
Shurat HaDin is experienced in seeking payment from companies in U.S. courts over the killings of Americans that took place in Israel. It has filed droves of victims compensations claims from terrorism-related incidents in the past. Most target financial institutions that provide bank accounts for members of Hamas or the Lebanon-based Hezbollah, with few victories.
Although, in 2015, Shurat HaDin won a case against the Palestinian government’s U.S.-based mission over the deaths of Americans.
The Facebook case is its first against a social media site.
Israeli magistrate court in Jerusalem sentenced the Palestinian female journalist Samah Dowaik, from Silwan town east of Occupied Jerusalem, to six months of actual imprisonment after "convicting" her of practicing incitement on Facebook.
Israeli forces arrested journalist Dowaik, who works as a correspondent for Quds News Network, from her family’s home on April, 10, 2016.
She is now held captive at Hasharon jail. 20 Palestinian journalists are detained in Israeli jails.
Some of them are serving high sentences while the others are held either under custody or under the illegal administrative detention.
Statistics showed that Israeli forces arrested 157 Palestinians between the beginning of October 2015 and the end of April 2016 over charges related to publishing on social networking sites.
Israeli forces arrested journalist Dowaik, who works as a correspondent for Quds News Network, from her family’s home on April, 10, 2016.
She is now held captive at Hasharon jail. 20 Palestinian journalists are detained in Israeli jails.
Some of them are serving high sentences while the others are held either under custody or under the illegal administrative detention.
Statistics showed that Israeli forces arrested 157 Palestinians between the beginning of October 2015 and the end of April 2016 over charges related to publishing on social networking sites.
16 july 2016
“I want to revenge and kill a Palestinian” this was the post on a Facebook account, so simple and straightforward.
What happened?
Ayala Hasson, an “israeli” journalist, reporter and news director in the zionist IBA News channel, has started a social media experiment in which she asked two people, a Palestinian israeli citizen from Nazareth, and a jewish israeli to post a message on their Facebook wall that they intend to kill an enemy in revenge. The two accounts are for real people and have been active for long times with FB friends, follower and the language that was used in the post is real for FB users and not academic.
What happened?
Shadi Khalileh, a Palestinian resident of Nazareth, posted that he was inspired to kill a zionist occupier and he intends to do so. Soon he received dozens of phone calls from friends and family members inquiring what was wrong with his account, and whether his account was hacked and somebody else is posting hate speech on his wall. Also Arab Parliament members, who heard of the post, phoned his family asking how could that happen. Shadi’s post received only 12 likes but soon 4 police cars arrived, arrested him and interrogated him for long before they were convinced that it was just a Facebook experiment.
What is surprising is the other side, the jewish israeli side. Daniel Levy a jewish israel Haifa resident, wrote that he wants to kill a Palestinian soon, it was so explicit and so direct. In a few hours he got over 1000 likes and also 34 comments an 26 shares. “I am proud of you”, “You are a hero”, “You are a real jew” and such comments were posted pushing him forward from other zionists appreciating his “courage”. The jewish post kept like that till it got thousands of likes until the TV channel decided to take it down. Daniel was untouched and no police ever came close to his house.
This was a social media experiment, just an experiment, that shows the racist behavior of the zionist state, however, the reality is even beyond imagination.
What happened?
Ayala Hasson, an “israeli” journalist, reporter and news director in the zionist IBA News channel, has started a social media experiment in which she asked two people, a Palestinian israeli citizen from Nazareth, and a jewish israeli to post a message on their Facebook wall that they intend to kill an enemy in revenge. The two accounts are for real people and have been active for long times with FB friends, follower and the language that was used in the post is real for FB users and not academic.
What happened?
Shadi Khalileh, a Palestinian resident of Nazareth, posted that he was inspired to kill a zionist occupier and he intends to do so. Soon he received dozens of phone calls from friends and family members inquiring what was wrong with his account, and whether his account was hacked and somebody else is posting hate speech on his wall. Also Arab Parliament members, who heard of the post, phoned his family asking how could that happen. Shadi’s post received only 12 likes but soon 4 police cars arrived, arrested him and interrogated him for long before they were convinced that it was just a Facebook experiment.
What is surprising is the other side, the jewish israeli side. Daniel Levy a jewish israel Haifa resident, wrote that he wants to kill a Palestinian soon, it was so explicit and so direct. In a few hours he got over 1000 likes and also 34 comments an 26 shares. “I am proud of you”, “You are a hero”, “You are a real jew” and such comments were posted pushing him forward from other zionists appreciating his “courage”. The jewish post kept like that till it got thousands of likes until the TV channel decided to take it down. Daniel was untouched and no police ever came close to his house.
This was a social media experiment, just an experiment, that shows the racist behavior of the zionist state, however, the reality is even beyond imagination.
The zionist “minister of justice” Ayelet Shaked, wrote on her Facebook wall: “They [Palestinians] are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads. Now this also includes the mothers of the martyrs, who send them to hell with flowers and kisses.
They should follow their sons, nothing would be more just.”. .. Notice she speaks of “just” as she is the Minister of justice”!!!
It is a direct and straightforward call for killing from an official political authority. This is the best form of incitement and call for murder.
They should follow their sons, nothing would be more just.”. .. Notice she speaks of “just” as she is the Minister of justice”!!!
It is a direct and straightforward call for killing from an official political authority. This is the best form of incitement and call for murder.
Last week, a zionist Rabbi, the member of the Chief Rabbinate Council Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu (in an interview with the zionist TV Channel-7) called the zionists for killing Palestinians in order to “get closer to god”… I wonder which “god” is he talking about?
This Rabbi represents the official zionist stance against the native Palestinians, whom the jewish Rabbis and government consider them to be “animals” as the top zionist Rabbi Ovadia yosef described them once and also the zionist deputy minister of religion Elei Dahan called them again recently.
Several other rabbis have issued similar orders calling for killing the Palestinians, as a “jewish religious duty”.
This is the official and governmental discourse of incitement and clear call for killing in the name of their Talmud.
And still the zionist government talking of “Palestinian incitement” on social media?
This Rabbi represents the official zionist stance against the native Palestinians, whom the jewish Rabbis and government consider them to be “animals” as the top zionist Rabbi Ovadia yosef described them once and also the zionist deputy minister of religion Elei Dahan called them again recently.
Several other rabbis have issued similar orders calling for killing the Palestinians, as a “jewish religious duty”.
This is the official and governmental discourse of incitement and clear call for killing in the name of their Talmud.
And still the zionist government talking of “Palestinian incitement” on social media?
David Shapira arriving to testify
Lt. Col. David Shapira is the hero who stopped the terrorist in the 2008 Mercaz Harav Yeshiva attack; he also commanded Sgt. Elor Azaria when he shot dead an immobilized terrorist in Hebron; after giving his testimony in Azaria's case, Shapira has been subject to online abuse.
Lt. Col. David Shapira, a brigade commander in the Officers' Training School and formerly the Kfir Brigade's Shimshon Battalion commander, was subjected in recent days to online curses and invective following the testimony that he gave against his former subordinate, Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is on trial for having shot dead Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, a neutralized terrorist, in Hebron. Shapira testified that did believe Azaria was speaking the truth following the incident.
The commander is no stranger to dangerous situations. In 2008, Shapira heard an unusual noise outside his apartment in Jerusalem. He went outside with his firearm and found that a terrorist had entered the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva and was slaughtering its students with a rifle. Police, who were already on the scene, stopped Shapira as he approached the yeshiva's main entrance, instructing him to wait for the arrival of special forces.
Shapira wasn't prepared to wait, and he managed to enter the building regardless. He identified the terrorist, who had managed to wound ten and murder eight persons, and shot him dead. He received a citation for his bravery and responsibility in saving lives.
However, Shapira now finds himself in a different type of public situation. On Tuesday, he appeared as a witness for the prosecution in Azaria's trial in the Jaffa Military Court. At the time of the shooting in Hebron, Shapira was Azaria's commander. In his testimony, which was consistent with his earlier statements during the IDF's initial investigation into the incident, the commander explained that he did not believe that Azaria was speaking truthfully when he alleged that he felt in danger when he killed al-Sharif.
The online response to Shapira's were disturbing. In a Facebook group called, "We're all with Elor" (with more than 43,000 members), a sampling of the invective included: "Piece of crap, you should be put on trial"; "Shame on the IDF that these are its commanders"; "I wouldn't want a commander like that for my kids"; "Shapira should die in battle… A negligent commander who wipes the blood of his soldier for a promotion"; "To the devil with you, Mr. Coward Commander"; "You should take the kipah off your head; even God won't forgive you."
Some are calling the brigade commander "a traitor condemned to death." Omer Samani, a member of the Dror Israel Movement, posted a collection of some of the online insults. Samani wrote, "This is a worrying phenomenon in which one of the symbols of Israeli statehood—the IDF—has also become a target for incitement and inflammation. It's sad that we've reached a day where even an Israeli hero like David Shapira is attacked in this way."
A statement from the IDF Spokesperson Unit said, "The expected norm for IDF officers and soldiers is speaking the truth and giving truthful testimony. The trial in the military court concerning Sgt. Elor Azaria must be permitted to be run according to the accepted rules and without external intervention, and witnesses for the prosecution and the defense must be permitted to speak the truth without worry or fear. Any attempt to apply pressure on those involved in the legal process is reprehensible.
"Lt. Col. David Shapira is an outstanding officer and has many years of operational experience. The brigade commander received a citation for his actions and bravery in the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva terrorist attack."
The prosecution in the Azaria case, led by Nadav Weisman of the IDF Military Advocate General, concluded presenting its witnesses on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. David Shapira is the hero who stopped the terrorist in the 2008 Mercaz Harav Yeshiva attack; he also commanded Sgt. Elor Azaria when he shot dead an immobilized terrorist in Hebron; after giving his testimony in Azaria's case, Shapira has been subject to online abuse.
Lt. Col. David Shapira, a brigade commander in the Officers' Training School and formerly the Kfir Brigade's Shimshon Battalion commander, was subjected in recent days to online curses and invective following the testimony that he gave against his former subordinate, Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is on trial for having shot dead Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, a neutralized terrorist, in Hebron. Shapira testified that did believe Azaria was speaking the truth following the incident.
The commander is no stranger to dangerous situations. In 2008, Shapira heard an unusual noise outside his apartment in Jerusalem. He went outside with his firearm and found that a terrorist had entered the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva and was slaughtering its students with a rifle. Police, who were already on the scene, stopped Shapira as he approached the yeshiva's main entrance, instructing him to wait for the arrival of special forces.
Shapira wasn't prepared to wait, and he managed to enter the building regardless. He identified the terrorist, who had managed to wound ten and murder eight persons, and shot him dead. He received a citation for his bravery and responsibility in saving lives.
However, Shapira now finds himself in a different type of public situation. On Tuesday, he appeared as a witness for the prosecution in Azaria's trial in the Jaffa Military Court. At the time of the shooting in Hebron, Shapira was Azaria's commander. In his testimony, which was consistent with his earlier statements during the IDF's initial investigation into the incident, the commander explained that he did not believe that Azaria was speaking truthfully when he alleged that he felt in danger when he killed al-Sharif.
The online response to Shapira's were disturbing. In a Facebook group called, "We're all with Elor" (with more than 43,000 members), a sampling of the invective included: "Piece of crap, you should be put on trial"; "Shame on the IDF that these are its commanders"; "I wouldn't want a commander like that for my kids"; "Shapira should die in battle… A negligent commander who wipes the blood of his soldier for a promotion"; "To the devil with you, Mr. Coward Commander"; "You should take the kipah off your head; even God won't forgive you."
Some are calling the brigade commander "a traitor condemned to death." Omer Samani, a member of the Dror Israel Movement, posted a collection of some of the online insults. Samani wrote, "This is a worrying phenomenon in which one of the symbols of Israeli statehood—the IDF—has also become a target for incitement and inflammation. It's sad that we've reached a day where even an Israeli hero like David Shapira is attacked in this way."
A statement from the IDF Spokesperson Unit said, "The expected norm for IDF officers and soldiers is speaking the truth and giving truthful testimony. The trial in the military court concerning Sgt. Elor Azaria must be permitted to be run according to the accepted rules and without external intervention, and witnesses for the prosecution and the defense must be permitted to speak the truth without worry or fear. Any attempt to apply pressure on those involved in the legal process is reprehensible.
"Lt. Col. David Shapira is an outstanding officer and has many years of operational experience. The brigade commander received a citation for his actions and bravery in the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva terrorist attack."
The prosecution in the Azaria case, led by Nadav Weisman of the IDF Military Advocate General, concluded presenting its witnesses on Wednesday.
14 july 2016
Israeli Justice Minister Eyelet Shaked and Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan have gone public with details of a proposed bill which will force internet companies to remove content that the government deems to be promoting incitement.
The bill would empower Israeli courts to order social media providers like Facebook and Google to remove content that constitutes a danger to personal or public security.
Facebook also closed dozens of pro-Hamas pages and accounts, including the group’s pages in the West Bank and those of the student Islamic Bloc at different Palestinian universities.
Facebook administration also closed dozens of accounts of pro-Hamas activists and media campaigners. The move came following a series of meetings between Israeli leaders and representatives of Facebook administration.
A similar decision had been opted for by Facebook administration on five earlier occasions since the start of the Jerusalem anti-occupation uprising.
The bill would empower Israeli courts to order social media providers like Facebook and Google to remove content that constitutes a danger to personal or public security.
Facebook also closed dozens of pro-Hamas pages and accounts, including the group’s pages in the West Bank and those of the student Islamic Bloc at different Palestinian universities.
Facebook administration also closed dozens of accounts of pro-Hamas activists and media campaigners. The move came following a series of meetings between Israeli leaders and representatives of Facebook administration.
A similar decision had been opted for by Facebook administration on five earlier occasions since the start of the Jerusalem anti-occupation uprising.
13 july 2016
Hamas Movement affirmed in a statement issued Wednesday evening that head of its political bureau Khaled Mishaal has no social media accounts.
The statement came after Israeli media outlets claimed that Facebook administration had closed Mishaal’s Facebook account.
The Movement called on media outlets not to deal with the social media fake accounts attributed to its leaders.
The statement came after Israeli media outlets claimed that Facebook administration had closed Mishaal’s Facebook account.
The Movement called on media outlets not to deal with the social media fake accounts attributed to its leaders.
Facebook administration on Tuesday closed the page of Izzat al-Resheq, member of Hamas political bureau, for the seventh time.
Resheq condemned, on Twitter, the closure of his Facebook account and perceived the action as biased to Israel.
Facebook administration used to close the official pages of Hamas Movement and its leaders in light of the Israeli incitement against the Movement under the pretext of adopting resistance against occupation.
This move followed the declaration of a lawsuit that was filed against Facebook on behalf of the families of five Israelis holding the American nationality who were killed in anti-occupation attacks.
The Israeli families demanded one billion dollars as compensation.
Resheq condemned, on Twitter, the closure of his Facebook account and perceived the action as biased to Israel.
Facebook administration used to close the official pages of Hamas Movement and its leaders in light of the Israeli incitement against the Movement under the pretext of adopting resistance against occupation.
This move followed the declaration of a lawsuit that was filed against Facebook on behalf of the families of five Israelis holding the American nationality who were killed in anti-occupation attacks.
The Israeli families demanded one billion dollars as compensation.
11 july 2016
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Being accused of giving terrorists a platform for incitement
Israeli legal advocacy organization Shurat Hadin is leading an effort against the social media giant, claiming its failure to act against terrorist group Hamas makes it liable for Hamas actions.
Israeli and American families of victims of Palestinian attacks filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Facebook, claiming the social network is providing a platform for militants to spread incitement and violence, their lawyers said Monday.
Shurat Hadin, an Israeli legal advocacy group, filed the suit on behalf of the five families in a New York court late Sunday, alleging that Facebook is violating the US Anti-Terrorism Act by providing a service to militant groups that assists them in "recruiting, radicalizing, and instructing terrorists, raising funds, creating fear and carrying out attacks."
The lawsuit focuses on the Islamic militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and which has fought three wars against Israel since the Palestinian group overran the coastal territory in 2007.
The five families in the lawsuit lost relatives in attacks over the last two years. Four were dual Israeli-American citizens while one victim was an American tourist.
"Facebook can't sit in its stone tower in Palo Alto while blood is being spilled here on the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It has a social responsibility. It can't serve as a social network for Hamas," said , the Israeli lawyer who is representing the families.
She compared Facebook to a bank, saying just as money may be transferred as a service for terror groups, so can content.
There was no immediate comment from Facebook.
The suit comes amid a 10-month outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has seen scores of Palestinian attacks targeting Israeli civilians and troops.
Israel says the violence is being fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement on social media while the Palestinians see it as the result of frustrations over nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation and a lack of hope for their own state.
Since mid-September, 34 Israelis and two American tourists have been killed in Palestinian attacks. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed during the same time. The majority of the Palestinians are said by Israel to have been attackers. The rest were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
Among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is the family of Taylor Force, a 28-year-old US veteran who was visiting Israel in March when he was stabbed to death by a Palestinian. Other plaintiffs include the family of Richard Lakin, an educator and coexistence advocate who was shot on a Jerusalem bus last October, and relatives of Naftali Fraenkel, an Israeli teenager who was kidnapped and killed while hitchhiking in the West Bank two years ago.
It is not clear whether the lawsuit will succeed. For one, under US law, internet companies are generally exempt from liability for the material users post on their networks. Also, the court may rule freedom of expression precedes anti-terror laws. Facebook has its own code of conduct and often removes content deemed objectionable.
Moreover, while the attackers in the five incidents had links to Hamas, the militant group has stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attacks, suggesting the assailants acted on their own.
The suit comes as Israel is considering how to contain what it sees as rampant Palestinian incitement on social media. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is preparing a bill meant to rein in content seen as incitement on social media and earlier this month, he said Facebook had become "a monster," adding that the company had "some of the victims' blood" on its hands.
Shurat Hadin has challenged Facebook in courts in the past. Last year, it demanded an injunction to have Facebook remove and block incitement to violence. A decision is pending.
Such lawsuits are not unprecedented.
The father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the companies provided "material support" to extremists in violation of the law. A similar case was brought against Twitter in January by the widow of a contractor killed in an attack on a police training center in Jordan.
Israeli legal advocacy organization Shurat Hadin is leading an effort against the social media giant, claiming its failure to act against terrorist group Hamas makes it liable for Hamas actions.
Israeli and American families of victims of Palestinian attacks filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Facebook, claiming the social network is providing a platform for militants to spread incitement and violence, their lawyers said Monday.
Shurat Hadin, an Israeli legal advocacy group, filed the suit on behalf of the five families in a New York court late Sunday, alleging that Facebook is violating the US Anti-Terrorism Act by providing a service to militant groups that assists them in "recruiting, radicalizing, and instructing terrorists, raising funds, creating fear and carrying out attacks."
The lawsuit focuses on the Islamic militant group Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip and which has fought three wars against Israel since the Palestinian group overran the coastal territory in 2007.
The five families in the lawsuit lost relatives in attacks over the last two years. Four were dual Israeli-American citizens while one victim was an American tourist.
"Facebook can't sit in its stone tower in Palo Alto while blood is being spilled here on the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It has a social responsibility. It can't serve as a social network for Hamas," said , the Israeli lawyer who is representing the families.
She compared Facebook to a bank, saying just as money may be transferred as a service for terror groups, so can content.
There was no immediate comment from Facebook.
The suit comes amid a 10-month outburst of Israeli-Palestinian violence that has seen scores of Palestinian attacks targeting Israeli civilians and troops.
Israel says the violence is being fueled by a Palestinian campaign of incitement on social media while the Palestinians see it as the result of frustrations over nearly 50 years of Israeli occupation and a lack of hope for their own state.
Since mid-September, 34 Israelis and two American tourists have been killed in Palestinian attacks. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed during the same time. The majority of the Palestinians are said by Israel to have been attackers. The rest were killed in clashes with Israeli troops.
Among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is the family of Taylor Force, a 28-year-old US veteran who was visiting Israel in March when he was stabbed to death by a Palestinian. Other plaintiffs include the family of Richard Lakin, an educator and coexistence advocate who was shot on a Jerusalem bus last October, and relatives of Naftali Fraenkel, an Israeli teenager who was kidnapped and killed while hitchhiking in the West Bank two years ago.
It is not clear whether the lawsuit will succeed. For one, under US law, internet companies are generally exempt from liability for the material users post on their networks. Also, the court may rule freedom of expression precedes anti-terror laws. Facebook has its own code of conduct and often removes content deemed objectionable.
Moreover, while the attackers in the five incidents had links to Hamas, the militant group has stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attacks, suggesting the assailants acted on their own.
The suit comes as Israel is considering how to contain what it sees as rampant Palestinian incitement on social media. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan is preparing a bill meant to rein in content seen as incitement on social media and earlier this month, he said Facebook had become "a monster," adding that the company had "some of the victims' blood" on its hands.
Shurat Hadin has challenged Facebook in courts in the past. Last year, it demanded an injunction to have Facebook remove and block incitement to violence. A decision is pending.
Such lawsuits are not unprecedented.
The father of a young woman killed in the Paris massacre last November is suing Google, Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the companies provided "material support" to extremists in violation of the law. A similar case was brought against Twitter in January by the widow of a contractor killed in an attack on a police training center in Jordan.
