Meta Platforms has rectified the removal of Facebook posts from Malaysian media covering Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent meeting with a Hamas leader, citing an error in the takedown.
A Meta spokesperson informed Reuters via email on Thursday that two posts had been mistakenly removed but have since been reinstated.
The meeting between Anwar and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh occurred in Qatar on Monday. Anwar clarified afterward that while he maintains positive relations with the political wing of Hamas, he is not affiliated with its military activities.
Following the removal of the posts, Malaysia submitted a letter to Meta seeking an explanation for the incident, including the closure of a Facebook account belonging to the Malaysia Gazette, a news outlet covering Palestinian issues, last month.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, also serving as the government’s spokesperson, criticized the removal of the posts, accusing American entities of disregarding media freedom.
On Wednesday, the Malaysia Gazette announced that Facebook had accepted their appeal to reactivate the account, which is now operational once again.
Restricting pro-Palestine content
Malaysia advocates for the establishment of a sovereign and independent Palestinian state, endorsing the two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Additionally, Malaysia supports Palestine’s full membership in the United Nations.
Meta has stated that it does not intentionally stifle voices on its Facebook platform and denies allegations of restricting content in support of Palestinians. However, Meta classifies Hamas, the governing body of Gaza, as a “dangerous organization” and prohibits content that praises it.
The company employs a combination of automated detection and human review to remove or label graphic content.
Earlier this month, Meta employees publicly criticized the company’s internal and external censorship of expressions of solidarity with Palestinians. They also noted the removal of any open support for Palestinian colleagues or acknowledgment of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine on platforms like Workspace.
