Following Closure of 'Third Palestinian Intifada' Facebook Pages, New Ones Are Launched

Despite the closure of several Facebook pages promoting the campaign for the Third Palestinian Intifada, set for May 15, 2011, hundreds of Facebook pages promoting the same aim still exist.[1] Many of these pages feature statements in praise of martyrdom, jihad, and the killing of Jews.

Below are descriptions of two Facebook pages featuring such calls:

Page Called "The People Want the Official Page of the Third Palestinian Intifada Restored"

Facebook page called "The People Want the Official Third Intifada Page Restored"[2] currently has some 16,000 members. The page states: "This is a message to the Facebook administration: We ask that you restore the official page of the Third Palestinian Intifada." Another message reads: "Facebook has become the only means of communication among the Arab peoples, and a means for mass dissemination of [information about] the scandals of the Arab rulers, and the only reason for the liberation of most of the Arab countries from oppression and corrupt rule – yet when the time comes to liberate Palestine, Facebook's administration stands against the people's desire for freedom."

The page's administrators wrote: "After the two [Third Intifada] pages have been shut down, we remain here, with all our might. We will not give up. We ask everyone to dissseminate this so that we can make our voices heard."

"The People Want the Official Page of the Third Palestinian Intifada Restored" Facebook page

The page's profile picture is of a little boy carrying an M-16 rifle, against the backdrop of a Palestinian flag intertwined with the emblem from the Tunisian flag, symbolizing the Arab uprising that began in Tunisia.

The page also states: "Eighty million people defend Egypt; 31 million defend Iraq; 21 million defend Syria; 10 million defend Tunisia; seven million defend Libya, but 1.2 billion Muslims will rise up for you, Palestine, on May 15, 2011. O Palestine, millions of martyrs are marching toward you."

Profile picture

Praising Jihad and Martyrdom

The page includes various posts praising struggle, resistance, and martyrdom for the sake of Palestine, for example: "We will die and Palestine will live" and "Millions of martyrs marching to Jerusalem." It also features extensive coverage of operations by Hamas and its military wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades. The page's administrators denied any connection to Hamas, noting: "Clarification: We do not belong to Hamas or to the Al-Qassam [Brigades]. But these two [bodies] are [the only ones] operating right now on the scene. We belong to Palestine [as a whole]."

Condemnation of Jews

There are also statements against Jews on the page, such as the slogan "Khaybar, Khaybar, o Jews, the army of Muhammad shall return," as well as calls condemning Jews translated into broken Hebrew: "Dear Jews, don't be afraid, death will be swift. Expect an Arab deluge, we are coming. We will help the religion of Allah and Palestine to triumph"; "Death to the Jews, murderers of the prophets"; and "The offspring of the sons of Zion are going to Hell."

Posts against Jews on the page

Burning Israeli Flags: "A Gift for the Facebook Administration"

The page shows photos of burning Israeli flags. One is headed "This is the photo that the Facebook administration doesn't like" and a second is headed "Another gift to the Facebook administration." In another post, the page's administrators noted: "O Israel, burn, the Arab rebels are coming." One of the page's wall photos shows a map of Palestine (disregarding the existence of Israel) in the colors of the Palestinian flag.

Burning Israeli flags

Wall photo of a map of Palestine

Page Called "The Third Palestinian Intifada – This Is Jihad – Victory or Martyrdom, Allah Willing"

A second Facebook page, with over 1,000 members so far, is called "The Third Palestinian Intifada – This Is Jihad – Victory or Martyrdom, Allah Willing."[3] This page too publicizes the Third Intifada, set for May 15, 2011. Its profile picture states: "We are at your command, Al-Aqsa." The page info reads: "Allah is our goal, His Messenger is our model, the Koran is our constitution, Jihad is our path, and death for the sake of Allah is our supreme desire." The page's administrators note that, on April 22, 2011, there will be "a protest of millions demanding an Israeli exodus from Palestine," which will prepare world public opinion for the May 15, 2011 intifada."

This page too mentions the closure of previous Third Intifada Facebook pages: "Now that the Zionists and Facebook have shut down the main [Facebook] page [promoting the Third Palestinian Intifada], please disseminate this page. Do not take this lightly. Your voice is important. We will not be silent... After the intifada in Tunisia, the Egyptian intifada and the Libyan intifada, the time for the Palestinian intifada has come... Please disseminate this page on websites and forums everywhere, and call on your friends to join it... This page was established on March 6, 2011, [and] with Allah's help we will reach a million [members] this week... If Facebook closes this page, then all the Muslims will boycott Facebook forever!"

"The Third Palestinian Intifada – This Is Jihad – Victory or Martyrdom, Allah Willing"

"The Freemasons and the Jews Are the Real Enemy"

This page too features statements against Jews. For example: "Together we will free Al-Aqsa mosque. The beginning will be on May 15, 2011... Our real enemies – they are the [Free]masons and the Jews, may Allah curse them."

Praise for Jihad and Martyrdom

The page features praise for jihad and martyrdom. One post states: "Be loyal to jihad and make the faith your banner... Always smile in the face of death, if it is [death] for the sake of Allah." The page also features photos of children with weapons, including a well-known photo of an infant with an explosive belt, and one of a little boy with a rifle.

Here too, the page administrators report widely on Hamas operations, praising them. One example is a video clip featuring a song of praise for the firing of Qassam rockets into Israel.

A forum participant wrote: "I will be the first of the volunteers from the Tunisian army if war is declared on Israel."

It is noteworthy that this page includes a video from a website promoting the Third Intifada campaign, 3rdintifada.com, which is currently down. At the end of the video, the details of "the official website of the Palestinian Intifada" are shown, as well as the emblem of the Islamic State of Iraq, known as the emblem of Al-Qaeda.

The video with the ISI emblem (center)