In the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Hamas silences critical voices. Several people accused of hate speech against the Jewish state have been detained.
In the Middle East, while Israeli civil society is still in shock after the Hamas attacks of October 7, and as IDF troops continue their offensive in the Gaza Strip, dissenting voices have been silenced.
Many Palestinians say they fear arrest if they speak out about the conflict. And Israelis critical of government actions, including university professors, journalists and politicians, have been targeted… Like the Israeli-Arab politician Aida Touma-Suleiman, who nevertheless condemned the brutal Hamas attack. According to her, denouncing the bombings in Gaza is a sensitive subject.
“I don’t take walks with my grandchildren anymore because I don’t want anyone to know that they are my grandchildren. There is a huge incentive against anyone who dares to protest this war or even show a little bit of empathy towards what is happening in Gaza. We do not even have the right to mourn a Palestinian child who is killed there” she says.
Earlier this year, a task force to monitor hate speech against the State of Israel was established by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
In recent weeks, Israeli justice has confirmed the pre-trial detention of people accused of hate speech… A decision justified according to it by the current conflict with Hamas.
Both Amir Badran and Itamar Avneri are working towards a common approach to combating fear and hatred and bringing the two communities together.
“Jews and Arabs are afraid, but Arabs are still threatened. Many arrests are made against young people, not just young people, because they weren’t really doing anything on social media. A like or a simple photo that they post are immediately taken for terrorists, for people supporting Hamas” explains Amir Badran.
Itamar Avneri adds: “Jews are very anxious, they fear it. They are very, very afraid, there is war in Gaza. People are also anxious and there are tensions between Jews and Arabs in Israel. “It’s absolutely natural but we try to defuse the situation, we try to defuse the situation and prevent violence from erupting.”
An Israeli government official told Euronews that the state monitors hate speech and investigates each case.
