The Palestinian Authority (PA) is reportedly pursuing journalists and critics abroad, often just on the basis of social media posts.
The claims are summarised in an article published by Al-Monitor, which cites a number of incidents of violence and intimidation, targeting those publicly critical of President Mahmoud Abbas and the PA.
Earlier this month, an unnamed source in the Palestinian foreign ministry claimed that Abbas had even “asked Interior Minister Riyad Al-Malki to prepare an urgent case against Palestinian activists in Europe, the United States and Arab countries who attack the PA online.”
In addition, as related by Al-Monitor, an audio recording was published online this month “of a high-ranking but unidentified Palestinian officer revealing the names of more than a dozen activists targeted by the PA.”
Taja Al-Hajj, a Palestinian activist in Lebanon whose name is on the list, told Al-Monitor: “The published list will not prevent us from expressing our opinions on Facebook. Even if the PA succeeds in shutting down our pages, we have other means to convey our voice.”
Ali Qaraqe, a Palestinian blogger in Turkey who was also listed, confirmed that:
the Palestinian embassy in Ankara has been monitoring my movements as an opponent of the PA.
In parallel to these developments, journalists in the West Bank are being targeted by the PA’s General Intelligence and Preventive Security Force, whether for questioning, detention, or trial.
The report also notes how Firas Press recently claimed Abbas had asked Israel “to help him shut down anti-PA online pages, since Israel has already asked Facebook’s administration to take down pages that allegedly incite violence.”