An Israeli lawmaker has joined a growing number of activists around the world boycotting the popular social media network Twitter this week.
MK Michal Cotler-Wunsh (Blue and White), endorsed Monday morning the two-day boycott of Twitter to protest the site’s reluctance to remove some anti-Semitic content.
“It’s time for social media to pay attention to the delegitimization, demonization, and double standards of Jews that run unchecked on their platforms, enabling a culture of impunity,” Cotler-Wunsh tweeted.
The campaign, called #NoSafeSpaceForJewHate, declared a 48-hour “walkout” from Twitter, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Monday.
“Jews and our allies will stage a 48 hour walkout from Twitter from 09:00 on Monday 27th July.”
Activist Michael Dickson slammed Twitter on Saturday, accusing the social media giant of turning a blind eye to anti-Semitic content.
“Why is Antisemitism seen as a second-class form of racism? Enough. We’re out, Twitter. Take this seriously.”
As the boycott began Monday, Dickson wrote: “Enough of ignoring Antisemitism. Enough of the conspiracy theories. Enough of the dog-whistles. Enough of the hate-speech. Enough of the genocidal attacks on the world’s only Jewish country. Enough.”
The boycott was declared after Twitter declined to remove a number of anti-Semitic posts put up by British rapper Wiley.
On Friday, Wiley launched into a lengthy anti-Semitic rant, comparing Jews to the Ku Klux Klan.
“I would challenge the whole world of Jewish community on my own I am not scared I can handle them,” he wrote in one post.
“There are 2 sets of people who nobody has really wanted to challenge #Jewish & #KKK but being in business for 20 years you start to understand why.”
While Twitter suspended Wiley’s account for 12 hours and removed some of his posts, while leaving others intact.
Wiley’s outburst is the latest in a string of high-profile anti-Semitic posts by celebrities, many of whom cited Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
Since then, a number of prominent figures in the UK, including several MPs, have joined the Twitter boycott campaign.