Netanyahu Spokesman Says Facebook Page Ranked ‘Dangerous’ by Egyptian Paper
×
by Shiryn Ghermezian
An Egyptian publication warned against the Facebook page of an Arabic-language spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week.
“My Facebook page was ranked by an Egyptian paper as the 4th most dangerous Israeli Facebook page to Arabs b/c I communicate w/ them directly,” Ofir Gendelman, who often posts in Arabic, wrote on Twitter.
Gendelman further explained on Facebook that the Egyptian publication Al-Watan published a list of five “Israeli pages” written in Arabic, which have what it called negative effects on the minds of Arab youth. “Beware of approaching them,” Al-Watan News told its readers, according to Gendleman.
The other Israeli pages specified by Al-Watan were: that of IDF Arabic spokesperson Maj. Avichay Adraee (ranked No. 1); a page called “Israel Speaks Arabic,” which focuses on relations between Israel and Arab countries (ranked No. 2); and the “Israel in Egypt Page.” Fifth place was given to the Arabic Facebook page of pro-Israel advocacy group StandWithUs.
Gendelman quipped on Facebook, “I thought I was more dangerous than that.”
Humor aside, Gendelman wondered why there is such fear in Egypt over people interacting directly with Israelis, as the Al-Watan report clearly suggests.