The Spectator condemns YouTube shut down of PMW video channel

Palestinian Media Watch does heroic work bringing to light the appalling incitement to mass murder and hatred of Jews and Israelis often transmitted by Palestinian Authority-controlled and Hamas-controlled media. Much of its work consists of simply translating and disseminating Palestinian media broadcasts, which are often deeply shocking in their medieval-style bigotry towards, and open incitement to violence and murder of, Israelis and Jews.

Even more shocking still is that PA TV is funded heavily by the EU – which is therefore funding hate speech. Until and unless such incitement is stopped, there is no prospect of peace in the Middle East. Which is why the work done by PMW, which makes this material available on YouTube, is so valuable in helping alert people to the reality in the Middle East.

But now, PMW says YouTube has closed down the PMW main video account -- on the grounds of ‘violating YouTube terms of use’ by supposedly propagating hate speech through these videos:

1. "Hamas TV teaches kids to kill Jews" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwN2M6ZIIRU
2. "Jews are a virus like Aids" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYaGl3KjPUw
3. "Farewell video before suicide attack of Hamas suicide bomber Adham Ahmad Hujyla Abu Jandal" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYdTudQhWM4
4. "Hamas suicide farewell video: Jews monkeys and pigs; Maidens reward for killing Jews" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryc7RqXlVdE
5. "PA cleric: Kill Jews, Allah will make Muslims masters over Jews" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjuDTO8fgqM
6. "Hamas suicide terrorist farewell video: Palestinians drink the blood of Jews" formerly at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSftYIGH6-w

All of these videos have now been removed by YouTube.

As PMW says, accusing it of promoting hate speech by promulgating them is absurd; it is not promoting hate speech but exposing it in order to bring about its elimination. The people who are promoting hatred and violence of the vilest kind are the Palestinians in the videos. Shutting down PMW will mean that it is much more likely that this hatred will continue to be broadcast.

But that may indeed be the point. For it is much more likely that YouTube’s reason carries a rather different, far more sinister meaning. It is almost certainly accusing PMW of hate speech precisely because it is exposing Palestinian hatred – in other words, YouTube is effectively accusing PMW of ‘Islamophobia’ by exposing Palestinian hatred of Israel and Jews for all to see. The 'hate speech' in YouTube's sights is thus not what the Palestinians are seen to be producing in these videos; it is instead what PMW is doing by blowing the whistle on this disgusting activity. And so as with all such claims, the aim is to censor vital information which lifts a curtain on the truth.

Indeed, this explanation is given strong backing by the fact that Palestinian Authority associates have been trying for years to get YouTube to shut down PMW on the grounds that it is involved in ‘hate speech’ – by transmitting PA material. Which would mean – if their complaint is to be taken at face value – that they are accusing themselves of hate speech. Which is hardly likely.

Now they appear to have succeeded in shutting down PMW. Through this censorship, YouTube has thus made itself an active player on the side of the enemies of life and liberty in the war against Israel. To censor information about the dissemination of hatred, which is produced solely to stop that hatred, on the spurious grounds that it thus disseminates that hatred by exposing it is a grotesquely cynical, Orwellian manoeuvre. Unless YouTube reverses this decision, its reputation will be irrevocably stained.

Update, 20 December: It seems that public pressure has forced YouTube to reinstate PMW's account, although doubt remains whether all the videos are again viewable.