Israeli Arab Knesset Members sues Google to block anti-Muslim video in Israel

Arab-Israeli religious leaders & mayors demand Google ban access of the anti-Islam video in Israel, saying it violates at least 3 Israeli laws; video has already been blocked in Libya, Egypt and Indonesia.

 

MK Taleb a-Sanaa and various Arab-Israeli mayors and religious leaders on Wednesday filed a petition with the Jerusalem District Court demanding that Google take down an anti-Islam video ridiculing the Muslim Prophet Mohamed from YouTube, to prevent future publicizing of the film and to block all access to the film in Israel.

Screenshot from 'Innocence of Muslims'

Screenshot from ‘Innocence of Muslims’ – Photo: YouTube Screenshot

The petitioners characterized the film as abusive and violating the image of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad in a racist manner, while trampling his sanctity and desecrating his name.

The film was also considered highly damaging as it violated the dignity and faith of more than a billion Muslims and more than a million Muslim citizens in Israel, according to the petition.

The petitioners claim that the publication violates the religious feelings of Muslims in contravention of Section 173 of the Penal Code, constitutes incitement to racism against Muslims in violation of Article 144 of the Penal Code, and is defamatory according to the 1965 Defamation Law.

The petition was filed by attorney Kais Nasser, and was filed against Google, which owns YouTube.

News reports have indicated that Google has already blocked access to the video in Egypt, Libya, Indonesia and India, but has rejected a request by the White House to pull it from the video-sharing site YouTube altogether. Authorities in Afghanistan ordered YouTube to be shutdown “indefinitely” to stop Afghans from watching the film, while Russia and Saudi Arabia also threatened to block the website unless it removes the film.

 

View original Jerusalem Post publication at: http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=285508