AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED LAST month in one of Israel’s leading newspapers, Haaretz, shed light on how the Israel Security Agency (ISA) is using Facebook to combat militant groups in the Palestinian occupied territories, namely the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
According
to the article’s author, Amira Hess, the ISA operates about 35
Arabic-language profile pages on Facebook, which are accessible in the
various Palestinian areas under Israeli occupation.
ISA case officers (agent handlers) with
Arabic monikers are in charge of various regions. For example, the
officer in charge of the Hebron area is known as “Captain Eid”, the
officer in charge of the Al-Amari refugee camp is known as “Captain
Zaker”, and so on. Every Facebook profile page has a telephone number
for users to send messages using WhatsApp. In addition, a general
Facebook page of the ISA was opened under the heading in Arabic, “Badna
Naish” (“Want to Live” in Arabic).
The transition to using Facebook pages is
in the spirit of the times, and reflects the fact that many younger
Palestinians receive their daily news through social networks, and not
through traditional media, such as radio or television. The purpose of
the ISA’s open-referral method using Facebook is to talk to the
Palestinian population directly, and especially to the younger
generation, who is very active on social networks. This also allows
social media users to pass on security information to thwart terrorist
attacks without disclosing their identity. The Facebook pages also serve
the ISA as a tool for recruiting Palestinians who are willing to help
Israel.
Additionally, the ISA uses Facebook’s
pages to warn Palestinians who plan terrorist acts before they go into
action. Here are some examples of the use of Facebook’s pages: In March
of this year, an ISA case officer using the moniker “Captain Eid” wrote
on his Facebook page covering the Hebron area that he called several
masked men who fired shots in the air while welcoming the released
terrorist Mahmoud Hushia, and warned them that their identities were
known. “In their deeds, they will be punished. Please stay away from
unnecessary problems”, wrote Captain Eid.
Another example is that the ISA recently
located on Facebook the intention of a young Palestinian to carry out a
stabbing attack; the ISA case officer called the young man’s father and
warned him of the consequences of the attack planned by his son, thus
preventing the attack. One of the common Arabic-language messages used
by ISA case officers on Facebook, and addressed to the Palestinian
population, is: “If you did anything against the State of Israel, you
will be sure that the GSS [another name for the ISA] is on its way to
you”.
The ISA also combines the increased use
of social networks with telephone warnings, especially in the Gaza
Strip, where its activities are more limited due to the tight control of
the Hamas movement. Residents of the Gaza Strip receive phone calls
from Israeli ISA officers warning them not to allow terrorist operatives
to hide rockets near their homes, or participate in demonstrations on
the border fence with Israel. According to sources in the Gaza Strip,
during the “Return March” project, the ISA issued warnings on social
media to the younger Palestinian population about participating in
demonstrations on the border fence, or in attempts to infiltrate Israeli
territory.
The ISA reportedly believes that this
innovative activity of keeping an interactive connection with the
Palestinian population, especially with the younger generation, is
effective. The agency views it as helpful in counter-terrorist efforts
and also in receiving early-warning information.