Image Credit: The Times of Israel
On Thursday, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sharply criticized Meta Platforms after a Facebook post commemorating the assassination of Hamas leader Ismael Haniyeh was removed. The post, which included a recording of a phone call in which Anwar expressed condolences to a Hamas official, was taken down by Meta, which designates Hamas as a “dangerous organization” and bans content that praises or supports it.
Anwar’s Facebook post featured a conversation with a Hamas representative in which he extended his sympathies for Haniyeh’s death in Tehran on Wednesday. The Malaysian leader’s response to Meta’s action was forthright; he denounced the decision as “cowardice” and urged the company to reconsider its stance on the issue.
Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim nation, has consistently shown strong support for the Palestinian cause. Anwar, who had previously met with Haniyeh in Qatar in May, is known for his favorable relations with Hamas’s political leadership. This incident marks the latest in a series of disputes between Malaysia and Meta over handling Hamas-related content on the platform.
Meta’s policy against content related to Hamas reflects its broader approach to handling organizations it deems as threats to public safety. The company’s decision to remove content related to Hamas is part of its efforts to comply with global regulations and guidelines concerning extremist content.
This removal and the subsequent backlash highlight ongoing tensions between social media platforms and political figures worldwide, particularly in contexts involving sensitive geopolitical issues.