this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2023
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[–] zerfuffle@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I don't think the original article is the best source on its own, but...

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-67100274

That's the current UK policy, which of course condemns discussion on the massacres of babies (of which no proof has been given and which the White House has been forced to retract statements regarding) as "glorifying terrorism."

Netanyahu is further to the right than the Tories, is more emotionally invested in the conflict, and has more to lose if pro-Hamas sentiment spreads. Moreover, given the context of how the Israeli government has enforced media laws in the past, it's not that far of a stretch. The big leap being made I think is that the government is "planning" to do this, not that it's already done so.

[–] blackn1ght@feddit.uk 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That’s the current UK policy, which of course condemns discussion on the massacres of babies

Does it condemn discussion of Hamas or does it condemn glorification of Hamas? There's definitely a difference. I would find it hard to believe there's an explicit law that prevents people discussing the massacres of babies.

From the article:

At a pro-Palestinian rally in Manchester on 8 October, a day after Hamas attacked Israel killing hundreds of civilians, a man wearing a red football shirt with "Palestine" written on the back told the crowd: "We have all seen the scenes and it is the most inspiring act of resistance."

Emphasis mine. He's not in trouble for discussing Hamas, he's in trouble for glorifying the massacre. Not really the same thing as visiting a website.

But anyway, this is a bit of a distraction as we're talking about Israeli policy, not the UK's. I was just clarifying that the parent user made a statement as if it were a law, but it's not, and the link to the article doesn't mention anything about it being a crime to visit a Hamas website. From what I understand from the article the planning is about fining media outlets that I assume won't toe the party line, not individual people for visiting websites. Yes, I agree, it's not a stretch to assume this could be a thing in the future, but based on the linked article it doesn't seem to be the case right now.