War of Words: IDF and Hamas Trade Threats and Test Twitter
When two friends created a live blogging platform enabling users to share “what’s happening” in 140 characters, they could not have imagined the platform would be used by opposing forces to tweet and live-blog their military operations.
Since the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) began Operation Pillar of Defence in Gaza they have been doing just that, providing a running commentary of their campaign. Beginning with the tweet:
The IDF has begun a widespread campaign on terror sites & operatives in the #Gaza Strip, chief among them #Hamas & Islamic Jihad targets.
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) November 14, 2012
They went on to announce the progress of their campaign:
Ahmed Jabari: Eliminated. twitter.com/IDFSpokesperso…
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) November 14, 2012
Not to be outdone, the military arm of Hamas, the Alqassam Brigades have been engaged in retaliatory tweets in addition to their retaliation on the ground, saying:
@idfspokesperson Our blessed hands will reach your leaders and soldiers wherever they are (You Opened Hell Gates on Yourselves)
— Alqassam Brigades (@AlqassamBrigade) November 14, 2012
Twitter’s policy states that they will ban “threats of violence”, but they have yet to suspend the accounts of the two sides in what is an increasingly violent situation both on- and offline.
Historically hesitant to intervene or censor the use of the platform, this unprecedented development of the use of social media to declare war and continue with psychological warfare this is a pivotal moment for Twitter to decide where the limits of their tolerance lie.
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