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X blocks UK consulate account over criticism of Israeli detention policy
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

X blocks UK consulate account over criticism of Israeli detention policy

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • X, formerly Twitter, blocked the UK consulate's account in Jerusalem after it criticized Israel's administrative detention policy.
  • The account shared a joint statement from diplomatic missions highlighting the plight of over 9,000 Palestinian prisoners held without charge or trial.
  • Other diplomatic accounts that shared the same statement remained accessible, raising questions about X's content moderation.

The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has blocked the account of the United Kingdom's consulate in Jerusalem. This action followed the consulate's publication of a critical statement regarding Israel's policy of administrative detention, under which thousands of Palestinians are held without formal charges or trial.

The blocked account had shared a joint declaration from various diplomatic missions, including those from the UK, Spain, France, Norway, Ireland, and the EU. The statement raised concerns about the conditions of Palestinian prisoners, noting that over 9,000 are detained in Israeli prisons, with thousands held without charge or trial. Human rights organizations have described the conditions as severe, citing inadequate food, denial of medical care, and systematic abuse.

More than 9,000 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, including thousands detained without charge or trial. Human rights organizations describe the prison conditions for Palestinians as severe and potentially life-threatening, citing inadequate food, denial of medical care, and systematic abuses.

— joint statement from diplomatic missionsThe statement shared by the UK consulate in Jerusalem detailed the situation of Palestinian prisoners.

Notably, the accounts of other diplomatic missions that co-signed and published the identical statement remained accessible on the platform. This selective blocking has drawn attention to X's content moderation practices. According to data from the Israeli NGO Gisha, more than 80% of the detained Palestinians are held without trial, with 3,314 having no charges and 3,244 under administrative detention.

The joint statement also emphasized the complete suspension of family visits for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli territory and urged Israel to comply with its international human rights obligations. It called for fair trials, guaranteed legal representation, and the restoration of access for the International Committee of the Red Cross to detention centers to monitor prisoner rights. The consulate's account became inactive shortly after these posts were made public.

The statement also emphasized the total suspension of the right to family visits for Palestinian prisoners while they are detained in Israeli territory, as well as demanding Israel to 'comply with its human rights obligations under international law'.

— joint statement from diplomatic missionsThe declaration highlighted restrictions on family visits and urged Israel to adhere to international law.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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