Twitter has banned Trump, but permits celebration of attacks on Israel

Donald Trump, the former president of the Untied States and the current de facto leader of the Republican Party, is barred from Twitter. The ban is permanent. Twitter says that even if Trump were to run for president again, he could not use its platform.

The ban is for “inciting violence.” I think it’s true that Trump’s words inspired violence on January 6. However, Trump did not advocate violence, nor did he celebrate it.

Hamas, by contrast, is engaging in violence and celebrating it on Twitter. Here is what Hamas’ leader posted:

The bombing of Tel Aviv and the oil pipeline facility between Ashkelon and Eliat [picture attached]. God is great and glory is to God alone.

Then, there’s Iran’s leader, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He funds the violence against Israel and backs it on Twitter with these words:

Palestinians are awake and determined. They must continue this path. One can only talk with the language of power with these criminals. They must increase their strength, stand strong, confront the enemy, and force them to stop their crimes. #FreePalestine

Nor is this the only time the Ayatollah has urged Palestinians to attack Israel. Philip Klein provides a sampling.

Will Twitter ban Khamenei and Hamas for inciting and supporting violence on its platform? I doubt it, given Twitter’s tolerance of the Ayatollah’s past writings and what I take to be its sympathies and biases. But we’ll see.

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