Israel removes social media accounts accused of foreign influence

Israel announced on Thursday the removal of accounts on social media platforms, claiming they were used to exert "foreign influence" ahead of the upcoming general elections, without identifying the owners of these accounts or their source. The General Security Service "Shabak" stated in an official statement that "many accounts on the internet used in foreign influence operations before the elections have been removed."

The agency noted that this step came as part of a joint effort between "Shabak," the Internet Department of the Attorney General's Office, and the Central Elections Committee, where "a number of internet accounts were identified as being used in foreign influence activities before the elections in Israel." "Shabak" confirmed that the removal of the mentioned accounts "comes within the context of the joint endeavor to protect the integrity of the elections and thwart attempts at illegal foreign influence."

For his part, the Israeli elections are scheduled to take place on October 27, amidst competition between the camp of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition parties, and continuing political division regarding the future of governance. Netanyahu admitted on Sunday that he is not confident of winning the elections and is "very worried," as forming a government requires obtaining the confidence of at least 61 out of 120 members of the Knesset.

The context indicates that Netanyahu has been leading the current government since late 2022, while the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him on November 21, 2024, for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against Palestinians in Gaza. Furthermore, Netanyahu has been on trial in Israel since 2020 on corruption charges including bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, allegations he denies.

These measures continue amid intense anticipation of the election results, which will determine the future of the political landscape in Israel, amidst mutual accusations and attempts to gain public support before the voting date.

Source: Anadolu Agency