Social media companies delete posts related to Jerusalem

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have reportedly censored, as well as deleted posts and hashtags related to the recent tensions in occupied Jerusalem.

"Instagram and its parent, Facebook, have been censoring posts related to Sheikh Jarrah for at least the past day," independent website Mondoweiss, which is devoted to informing readers about developments in Israel, Palestine and related US foreign policy, said on Twitter.

It also retweeted a post that said Instagram has limited posts with hashtag #Jerusalem in English and Arabic.

Users on Twitter criticized social media companies for censoring content related to Sheikh Jarrah.

"Twitter is fighting the Palestinian content which exposes the crime of displacing Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, in Jerusalem," said NewPress, adding that its English account has been suspended by the "Twitter administration."

Another user, #SaveSheikhJarrah, said on Twitter that Instagram deleted "entire highlight of posts about what's going on in Palestine."

Settler activist and Deputy Mayor of occupied Jerusalem Aryeh King was caught on camera telling Muhammad Abu Hummus, a Palestinian activist from East Jerusalem, that it was a "pity" he did not get a bullet to his head.

Palestinians in Jerusalem have protested in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah in recent days that has led to clashes with Israeli police.

Protests came as the Israeli Central Court in East Jerusalem approved a decision to evict seven Palestinian families from their homes in favor of Israeli settlers at the beginning of 2021.

Late Friday, the number of Palestinian injured rose to 205 in Israeli attacks at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Damascus Gate of the Old City and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

Israeli police attempted to disperse worshippers inside the Haram al-Sharif area of Al-Aqsa Mosque, using stun grenades and gas bombs.

Police attacked Muslim worshippers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque while worshippers were performing tarawih -- special night prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the "Temple Mount," claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.