JERUSALEM (VINnews) — In an unprecedented encroachment on free speech in Israel, Whatsapp last week permanently blocked the numbers of the wife of MK Itamar Ben Gvir as well as some 30 members of the Lehava movement in Israel including director Bentzi Gofstein. The social media giant did not offer any prior warning or explanation for the change of policy, but all the people blocked belong to the Jewish Power party which is a legitimate political party represented in the Israeli Knesset.
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MK Itamar Ben-Gvir wrote a sharp letter to Whatsapp stating that he wife works as a teacher and her relationship with pupils and teachers will be severely harmed by Whatsapp’s move.
Ben-Gvir added that “from my investigations it is apparent that this is a politically related persecution, with the wife of an Israeli MK blocked because there are political elements who wish to silence a Knesset member.” Ben-Gvir also requested that the Israeli Ministry of Communications respond “in an unequivocal manner and act immediately on the matter.” He added that “today it is me, tomorrow it could be any other MK whose views are unpalatable to various forces on the web or external forces influencing the web.”
The Jewish Power party intends to sue Facebook. Attorney Iris Edri representing them declared that “we intend to sue regarding my client’s being blocked from using Whatsapp. This is a callous, bullying, unilateral and discriminatory act which was initiated without any warning against law-abiding citizens, with no apparent reason or justification. Blocking my client’s possibility of using Whatsapp is a cheap exploitation by a huge corporation, which is harming people’s rights and causing continuing damage, in a crudely discriminatory manner.”
The Lehava organization declared that “for years the technology giants and social networks have been trying to block and silence right-wing activists. This happens on Facebook, Youtube and Tiktok. Now a new red line has been crossed, as they started to trespass on our privacy. We will not be silenced and will go to battle. We are currently preparing a huge suit against Whatsapp. This suit represents all of us, each of us may be the next in line for being silenced. We call on you to be our partners and contribute to this just and important struggle, today it’s us, tomorrow it might be you.”
Time to drop Facebook jerks. Switch to signal.
This must stop what’s coming next? the telephone services blocking telephone calls? Text?
Lehava the only group with guts to face down Arab rioters at the Damascus Gate with tools. Israeli leftists are afraid of Gvir but he’s up and coming.
BLM PLO DamocRats same thing
Ben Gvir for prime minister.
NYT reported Israeli far-right extremists have been using Whatsapp to plan attacks on Arabs such as the riots in Bat-Yam covered extensively in the mainstream media.
Times of Israel Headline: “Police chief said to blame far-right lawmaker Ben Gvir for ‘internal intifada’”
“Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that extreme-right MK Itamar Ben Gvir is responsible for ongoing riots in Jewish-Arab cities, Israeli TV reported Thursday.
During a briefing, Shabtai said that every time police appear to be getting an area under control, Ben Gvir, the Kahanist member of the Religious Zionism party, shows up to fan the flames, Channel 12 and Channel 13 news both reported.
“The person who is responsible for this intifada is Itamar Ben Gvir. It started with the Lehava protest at Damascus Gate,” Shabtai said, referring to far-right demonstrations around Jerusalem’s Old City. “It continued with provocations in Sheikh Jarrah, and now he is moving around with Lehava activists.”