Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has accused Meta, the US-based social media platform, of “cowardice” and acting on behalf of Israel after the company removed his Facebook post offering condolences on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Anwar, a supporter of the Palestinian cause, had posted a video of his phone call with a Hamas official to offer condolences, which was later removed by Meta. A similar post on his Instagram account was also taken down by the company, owned by US billionaire Mark Zuckerberg.
Anwar criticized Meta for being an instrument of the “oppressive Zionist Israeli regime” and called on the company to stop its actions. The removal of the posts was accompanied by a caption labeling the content as associated with “dangerous individuals and organizations.” Anwar, who has good relations with the Hamas political leadership but no military links, had met Haniyeh in Qatar in May and the Hamas leader had visited Malaysia over the years.
Malaysia’s Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said an explanation had been sought from Meta, as it was unclear why the posts were taken down. Meta has designated Hamas as a “dangerous organization” and bans content praising the group. Malaysia has previously complained to Meta over content takedowns related to Palestinian issues, including media coverage of Anwar’s meeting with Haniyeh, which was later restored. Malaysia has advocated for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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