Particle.news
Download on the App Store

YouTube Removes Archives of Three Palestinian Rights Groups After Sanctions Review

Google says the takedowns followed a U.S. sanctions review linked to the groups’ cooperation with the International Criminal Court.

Overview

  • Al-Haq, Al Mezan and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights lost their YouTube channels in early October, erasing more than 700 videos documenting alleged abuses in Gaza and the West Bank.
  • A Google spokesperson said the company enforces restrictions on entities under U.S. sanctions and is committed to complying with trade and sanctions laws.
  • The deleted material included eyewitness footage, investigative reports and videos related to the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
  • The groups say they received no prior notice and warn the loss of archives will hinder monitoring, outreach and future accountability efforts.
  • Some copies persist on the Internet Archive and other platforms without a complete index, while a separate dispute saw Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales challenge the neutrality of the site’s 'Gaza genocide' article.