Knesset speaker to Zuckerberg: Keep incitement off Facebook

Yuli Edelstein requests that Facebook use tool at its disposal to end incitement against Arabs and Jews alike on the popular social networking site.

By RO YEGER
Updated: JULY 8, 2015 19:05
People are silhouetted as they pose with mobile devices in front of a screen projected with a Facebook logo. (photo credit: REUTERS)
People are silhouetted as they pose with mobile devices in front of a screen projected with a Facebook logo.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edestein (Likud) sent a letter to Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday, requesting that he remove any page containing incitement against either Jews or Arabs on the popular social media networking site.
Edelstein wrote that he has noticed a trend recently in which people, mostly teenagers, have begun adding "Death to Arabs" or "Death to Jews" after their names on their Facebook profiles and on pages they manage.
On Tuesday, Arab MK Osama Saadi brought the issue of racism on Facebook to the front during a one minute speech in the Knesset plenum. The Joint List MK challenged Edelstien to sign into Facebook and search "Death to Arabs" to see just how serious this trend has become.
"I am appalled by these acts of incitement, performed for sheer incitement's sake, and strongly condemn them," wrote Edelstein. "The Jewish part of Israeli society at times finds itself in disagreement with members of the Arab public, but even then, in the heat of an argument, we must keep to the point and respect human dignity."
Edelstein requested that the social networking site "use all the tools at the disposal of Facebook in order to put an end to these pages."
MK Saadi praised Edelstien's letter and said that he hopes this will help bring about a real change in this issue.
Lahav Harkov contributed to this report.