Twitter Suspends Hamas Military Wing’s Account
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Josefin Dolsten March 29, 2016
The Arabic Twitter account for Hamas’ military wing was closed down, two weeks after its English account was suspended.
The social media pages were used to disseminate news about the terrorist group’s military activities and to encourage attacks against Israeli civilians.
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, said its Arabic Twitter account was closed without notice Monday night, blaming “pressure by Zionist groups,” according to the .
The account had over 140,000 followers, according to a statement on the group’s website.
The organization urged supporters to follow its alternate Twitter accounts.
Twitter shut down several accounts associated with Hamas’ military wing in 2014. The social media site has been targeting terrorist groups in recent years using its platform, but has faced criticism due to its failure to prevent those organizations from creating new accounts.
William Daroff, senior vice president for public policy at the Jewish Federations of North America, wrote “It’s about time!,” on his Twitter page, in response to the news of the account’s suspension.
It’s about time! RT @TimesofIsrael #Hamas military wing’s Twitter account shut down https://t.co/02ytWHl5Qk @DovLieber with inside story
— William Daroff (@Daroff) March 29, 2016
Why I became the Forward’s Editor-in-Chief
You are surely a friend of the Forward if you’re reading this. And so it’s with excitement and awe — of all that the Forward is, was, and will be — that I introduce myself to you as the Forward’s newest editor-in-chief.
And what a time to step into the leadership of this storied Jewish institution! For 129 years, the Forward has shaped and told the American Jewish story. I’m stepping in at an intense time for Jews the world over. We urgently need the Forward’s courageous, unflinching journalism — not only as a source of reliable information, but to provide inspiration, healing and hope.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
