TikTok Removes Israeli Ultranationalist Influencer's Account for Hate Speech Violations
TikTok has taken decisive action by removing the account belonging to Israeli ultranationalist influencer Roi Star, citing clear breaches of the platform's hate speech and bullying rules. This move follows a review initiated after the Guardian flagged concerning videos that documented Star harassing leftwing activists in the occupied West Bank.
Viral Videos Document Harassment and Violence
Dozens of videos have gone viral across TikTok and Instagram, showcasing disturbing incidents of harassment targeting Palestinians and physical assaults on Israeli and international activists. These accounts have proliferated significantly since the onset of the Gaza war in October 2023, a period during which Israeli forces and settlers have been responsible for the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians in the West Bank. Recent weeks have seen a further escalation in violence, with repeated attacks on residential homes.
The rise of this far-right digital ecosystem parallels the growing influence of far-right parties and figures within Israeli politics. Yuli Novak, executive director of the Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem, remarked, "Dehumanising Palestinians is now mainstream in Israel. Influencers gain popularity through incendiary messaging."
Convergence of Online Platforms and On-Ground Violence
In a particularly alarming incident from January, Star posted a video to both TikTok and Instagram where he filmed himself entering a house used as a base by leftwing activists in Ras Ein al-Auja, located in the Jordan Valley. In the footage, he pepper-sprays an activist who attempts to block his entry. Activists also recorded the encounter, capturing Star yelling, "This is Judea, not fucking Palestine," and issuing threats against the activists and their families.
When contacted by the Guardian, Star defended his actions, claiming he visited to "talk about peace" and asserting that Ras Ein al-Auja is Israeli public land, not Palestinian territory. He justified the use of pepper spray as minimal self-defense and dismissed his threats as mere acting, stating, "It was just the moment got heated up ... My intentions were not to get that extreme." He further argued that it is his right as an Israeli citizen to walk in public areas of the West Bank, which he believes belongs to Israel.
Platform Responses and Ongoing Challenges
TikTok confirmed the removal of Star's account this week, emphasizing that its community guidelines prohibit violent and hateful individuals, including violent extremists, and do not allow praise or glorification of such figures. The platform also noted it has taken down videos from other TikTok creators associated with Israeli far-right agitators, though specific details were not disclosed.
However, Instagram, owned by Meta, continues to host numerous accounts linked to far-right Israeli agitators. Meta has not responded to requests for comment regarding this issue. Prof Anat Ben-David, a digital media researcher at the Open University of Israel, highlighted the troubling overlap, saying, "The circulation of videos showing settlers harassing Palestinians in the West Bank, alongside rightwing activists targeting journalists, points to a troubling convergence between platform dynamics and on-the-ground violence."
Psychological Impact and Broader Implications
The videos posted by far-right agitators have profound psychological and social effects. Mohammad Hureini, a human rights activist from Masafer Yatta where daily settler attacks occur, explained, "When people see this content, it heightens fear." This sentiment is echoed by activists like Barak Cohen, who stated, "These far-right influencers have crossed a serious line. Violence against Palestinians feeds mob dynamics. The demand is for violence."
This trend extends beyond social media influencers to Israeli far-right politicians. For instance, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir faced condemnation last August after posting footage on X taunting Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in jail. Similarly, Knesset member Zvi Sukkot of the Religious Zionist party was filmed in the West Bank denying settler violence, though he later claimed to be fighting against environmental terrorism.
As Andrey Khrzhanovskiy, an activist who filmed Star, poignantly noted, "This is not the first ethnic cleansing in history, but this is the first ethnic cleansing that you can watch live on TikTok. There is a certain irony in me denouncing this. Settlers film us, we film them – a parallel battle unfolding both on the ground and online." This digital battleground underscores the urgent need for consistent enforcement of hate speech policies across all social media platforms to mitigate real-world harm.
