Anti-Semitism is being used as a weapon against the supporters of Palestine
Israeli attacks cannot be explained or justified from any humanitarian or moral point of view, says the Lebanese activist.
Lebanese activist Mohamad Safa said that pro-Palestinian posts are being censored on social networks by order of Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs.
"Palestine supporters have been targeted and the accounts of many international activists have been closed due to the silencing campaign," said the chairman of the board of directors of Patriotic Vision (PVA), an NGO at the UN Economic and Social Council.
Safa stressed that no conscientious person , regardless of religion, language or race, can remain indifferent to this disaster, which happened in 3 months, when Israel put Gaza in the worst situation since October 7, and Israel's methods of collective punishment must be answered.
According to him, Israeli attacks cannot be explained or justified in any humanitarian or moral terms .
"In 3 months, Gaza has been living almost like hell. Now 5% of the population of Gaza is dead, injured or missing. More than 130,000 Palestinians have died, including 12,000 children, 6,000 women, 130 UN staff and 105 journalists. Nothing. "The killing of more than 12,000 children cannot be justified at all . It is not self-defense and it cannot be justified. It can never be accepted, " he said.
Safa said that at the beginning of the process, social media played an important role in informing the world about the events in Gaza, but today various blocking methods are used to delete pro-Palestinian posts .
"Social media platforms have had both a positive and a negative impact on public opinion in this war. Double standards in algorithms have, on the one hand, allowed for more diverse voices to be heard and the spread of Palestinian activism, but on the other hand, disinformation and "black propaganda, especially those disseminated by Israel, have become more prevalent. reached the users and brought it to work . Accounts broadcasting about Palestine on social networks have been blocked, " the Lebanese activist said.
Safa notes that pro-Israel people and organizations are using the concept of anti-Semitism as a weapon against pro-Palestinian activists.
" The concept of anti-Semitism is being used as a tool to silence voices that support Palestine. Speaking out against war crimes committed by Israel is not anti-Semitic. We should be able to express our opinions freely . People should be able to show solidarity with all people who are oppressed or oppressed . it is necessary to put an end to these double standards, which give freedom of thought and censor someone," says the activist.
Safa said that according to the Torah, the holy book of Judaism, such war crimes cannot be committed. "According to the declaration of human rights, this cannot be done. According to international humanitarian law, you cannot do this. You cannot do this on any basis. You are either pro-humanity or pro-genocide, otherwise there is no middle ground or other explanation ," he said. he noted.
According to him, people who support the supporters of Palestine are not only attacked in social networks, but also punished in various aspects of society.
"I would like to say to journalists, students, workers and other critical people who are facing harassment, threats and censorship : do not be afraid to speak the truth. Speaking openly about things that are in line with your values will not lower your career , but will open your way to a career full of moral values," he said. added the Lebanese activist.
Safa clarified that attempts to block her actions continue not only on social media, but she has also received death threats for supporting Palestine, despite being a UN representative and a UN-accredited human rights defender.
" I received messages threatening my life and my family's life from my phone and from the official accounts of X government agencies. In my personal life, I was also restricted, and even after being recognized on the street, I was spied on and followed by unknown persons. I say this for myself and for people in my situation; No one can protect us from these threats. As a UN representative and UN-accredited activist, I also informed the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. But I still haven't received an answer on this issue," said the Lebanese activist.
