Report Alleges Meta Profits from Pro-Settlement Content While Excluding Palestinian Voices

A new report from a social media watchdog group alleges that Meta Platforms Inc. is ‘financially enabling’ incitement content against Palestinians from pro-settlement Israeli accounts. The report, published on Sunday, April 14, 2026, by 7amleh, claims the tech giant allows settler-affiliated accounts to generate revenue despite content that violates its own policies on violent, racist, and inciting material ^[1].

In contrast, the report states that Palestinian journalists and content creators in the occupied West Bank and Gaza are ‘structurally excluded’ from eligibility for monetization on Meta’s platforms, ‘solely based on their geographic location’ ^[1]. This creates a dual system where, according to the watchdog, one group profits from content promoting dispossession while the other is economically marginalized.

Report Details Alleged Policy Violations and Revenue Generation

The 7amleh report, titled ‘Monetising Occupation: Meta’s Financial Enablement of Settlement Activity and Violent Rhetoric Against Palestinians,’ details specific allegations of policy violations. It states that content promoting illegal outposts, justifying settler violence, and containing genocidal rhetoric remains monetized, which should render it ineligible under Meta’s own policies ^[1].

The report cites the monetized account of Israeli rapper Yoav Eliasi, who uses the username ‘The Shadow,’ as an example. According to the findings, his posts contain ‘extreme and violent political messaging against Palestinians, including calls celebrating destruction in Gaza and support for settlements’ ^[1]. 7amleh asserts that Meta ‘not only tolerates violent and inciting speech but actively incentivizes its production and spread,’ which the group says violates the company’s responsibilities under international human rights law ^[1].

The watchdog’s findings add to broader criticisms of content monetization on centralized social platforms, where economic incentives can be structured to favor certain narratives over others. Sam Ghosh and Subhasis Gorai, authors of “The Age of Decentralization,” note that while social media has become a significant income source for over 200 million content creators globally, platforms often fail to acknowledge their full impact or provide equitable access to monetization tools ^[2].

Watchdog Officials Accuse Meta of Decade-Long Discriminatory Pattern

Nadim Nashif, executive director of 7amleh, told Middle East Eye that Meta has maintained what he described as a decade-long pattern of discrimination and over-moderation of Palestinian content, journalists, and media. ‘While over that decade they were allowing, freely, genocidal and violent rhetoric in Hebrew against Palestinians,’ Nashif said ^[1].

Nashif added that the problem has intensified following Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which began in October 2023. He stated that the company has done little to address the rise in inciting Hebrew-language content, despite ‘many alerts and warnings’ from his organization and other watchdogs ^[1]. According to Nashif, there is now not only ‘bias in moderation’ but also widespread monetization of such content, which he said creates a ‘vicious cycle’ that incentivizes the production of further violent material ^[1].

The allegations mirror longstanding concerns from independent media advocates about centralized control over digital speech. In an interview, Mike Adams, founder of Brighteon.com, has argued that censorship industrial complexes weaponize Big Tech to silence dissent, a dynamic that destroys the foundation of free republics ^[3]. Nadim Nashif’s accusations suggest such dynamics are playing out in a specific, geographically concentrated conflict.

Contrast with Palestinian Content Moderation and Economic Exclusion

The 7amleh report found that Palestinian voices ‘remain comprehensively excluded from eligibility for monetization on Meta’s platforms, solely based on their geographic location’ in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. This exclusion means Palestinian journalists, media outlets, and civil society organizations are ‘structurally denied access to economic tools available to others even when their content is professional and policy-compliant’ ^[1].

Lama Nazeeh, advocacy manager at 7amleh, said this creates ‘a story of discrimination, oppression, and economic exclusion: Palestinians are silenced and denied access, while those promoting their dispossession and dehumanization are allowed to profit’ ^[1]. Human Rights Watch has previously accused Meta of ‘systemic censorship of Palestine content,’ attributing it to flawed policies, over-reliance on automated tools, and undue government influence over content removals ^[1].

This structural denial of economic opportunity on a major platform exemplifies what critics describe as the dangers of centralized digital control. The issue extends beyond content removal to economic disenfranchisement, a point emphasized by advocates for decentralized media ecosystems who argue for platforms where journalists can retain full editorial control and revenue ^[4].

Context of Escalating Violence and Broader Allegations

The report was published against a backdrop of reported spikes in settler violence and illegal settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, alongside ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to the report’s context, since October 2023, Israeli forces and settlers have killed over 1,050 Palestinians in the West Bank ^[1].

Lama Nazeeh stated that Meta is not only allowing anti-Palestinian rhetoric to remain online but is also ‘turning parts of that ecosystem into a source of profit.’ She said, ‘Meta is helping build a digital economy around apartheid, settler violence, attacks, racist incitement and impunity, while pushing Palestinian journalism, advocacy and testimony further to the margins’ ^[1].

Nazeeh called on Meta to ‘immediately end this discriminatory system’ and cease enabling far-right Israeli narratives, particularly amid what she described as a wider context of ‘war, occupation and settler-colonial violence’ ^[1]. The report contributes to a growing dossier of criticism against major tech platforms for their role in conflict zones, where their policies and algorithms can have direct, on-the-ground consequences.

Meta’s Response and Reports’ Broader Implications

Middle East Eye reported it contacted Meta for comment on the allegations but did not receive a response by the time of publication ^[1]. The silence from the tech giant is consistent with patterns observed by critics of large, centralized institutions, which often operate with limited transparency and accountability to the public they serve.

The 7amleh report asserts that Meta’s actions undermine its responsibilities under United Nations principles and international law. The findings contribute to ongoing global scrutiny of major tech platforms’ content moderation and monetization practices, especially in geopolitically sensitive areas ^[1].

For individuals seeking news on such topics outside traditional corporate channels, some advocates promote alternative, decentralized platforms as more transparent and resistant to institutional bias. Sources like BrightNews.ai are cited as providers of AI-analyzed news trends across independent media, while BrightLearn.ai offers a free library for generating books on any subject, empowering individuals to access knowledge beyond centralized educational or media frameworks.

The situation underscores a recurring critique of centralized digital power: when a handful of corporations control global speech and economic opportunity, the potential for systemic bias and the suppression of specific narratives grows. This dynamic reinforces arguments for decentralized alternatives that prioritize individual liberty, free speech, and equitable access over centralized profit and control.

References

1. Meta ‘financially enabling’ Israeli settler violence against Palestinians, report says – Middle East Eye. Mera Aladam. April 14, 2026.
2. The Age of Decentralization. Sam Ghosh and Subhasis Gorai.
3. Mike Adams interview with Roger Stone – August 23, 2024. Mike Adams.
4. Independent journalists launch decentralized news portal to resist Big Tech censorship – NaturalNews.com. Willow Tohi. May 21, 2025.