New Media in Israel

This issue of the Newsletter covers the period 18-21 March 2018. Israeli social media networks were taken up with a number of issues, including the Mevo Dotan and Jerusalem operations.

The Mevo Dotan operation, which claimed two soldiers, took place last week. However, Israeli social media platforms also extensively reflected on the operation early this week. The Israeli social media community, particularly politicians, launched an incitement campaign against the Palestinian society in general, and Palestinian leadership in particular, calling for punishing the man who caused the accident  a citizen from Barta’a who said it was not intentional.

On Sunday evening, the Israeli security guard, who had been stabbed in the old city of occupied Jerusalem, died of stab wounds. According to media reports, the attacker died of injuries sustained. Israeli social media networks were also preoccupied with this operation and launched an incitement campaign against Palestinians, holding the Palestinian Authority responsible for the incident.

The Israeli social media community was absorbed in the statement made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In his speech during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah, Abbas described the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, as the “son of a dog.”

Israeli social media activists were taken up with this statement after Friedman commented on Twitter: “His response was to refer to me as the son of a dog. Is that anti-Semitism or political discourse? I leave that up to you.”

The Israeli social media community stood by Friedman, considering that attack as an attack on Israel.

Additionally, this issue of the Newsletter monitors the most viral video on Israeli social media networks. On its Facebook page, Reshet TV channel broadcast a video clip, showing an Israeli settler unleashing his vicious pit bull dog on sheep belonging to a Palestinian shepherd. The dog dismembered and mutilated the sheep. The video clip absorbed Israeli social media activists, who either supported or opposed what the settler did. However, the incident drew more support given that it took place following the Jerusalem and Mevo Dotan operations.