‘We’re a democracy, but …’: Israel police chief wants to block social media in next flare-up

Police commissioner says he suggested closing online platforms during last year's violent clashes.

Israel's Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai said in an interview published on Wednesday that social media in Israel should be shut down when the next round of violence erupts in mixed Jewish-Arab cities.

Later on Wednesday, officials clarified that the police chief was referring to "extreme situations."

In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, Shabtai said such a move would prevent the violence seen during the May 2021 flare-up with Gaza, which saw clashes erupt in mixed cities in Israel.

"We're a democratic country, but there's a limit," he said. "I'm talking about fully shutting down the networks, calming the situation on the ground, and when it's calm reactivating them." He added that he had suggested such steps be taken during Operation Guardian of the Walls last year.

In the interview, Shabtai claimed there was a direct a connection between the wave of violence in mixed cities and social media: "The world of TikTok has erupted, and together with what happened in the Gaza Strip and the firing of rockets towards Jerusalem, it gave people legitimacy to act violently."

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'We're a Democracy, But': Israel Police Chief Calls to Block Social Media in Next Flare-up (Haaretz)
Israel's police commissioner Kobi Shabtai says he suggested such a step during last year's violent clashes

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