The ongoing war in Gaza has triggered not just a humanitarian crisis, but a wave of global suppression targeting those who speak out in solidarity with Palestinians. Around the world, individuals and groups expressing solidarity with Palestinians face increasing censorship, sanctions, and institutional repression. Meanwhile, Israel’s actions remain largely unchallenged on many political and institutional stages.
For feminist communities worldwide, this crackdown raises urgent questions: What happens when global structures of power decide that justice-oriented speech is too dangerous? What does it mean when care, solidarity, and resistance are deemed threats?
Censorship and sanctions on public figures
Just this month, the United States imposed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories. Her work was quickly labeled as antisemitic. And she has been systematically smeared and delegitimized for highlighting Israeli war crimes.
This kind of response reflects a wider trend. Criticism of Israel is often reframed as hate speech or a political threat rather than legitimate human rights advocacy. As a result, critical voices are silenced instead of engaged.
Palestinian writers like Rafeef Ziadah and Mona El-Farra have also been affected. Their talks and public appearances have been cancelled or restricted. Their testimonies, which are rooted in lived experience and feminist analysis, are often seen as too “radical” or too “political” to be included in mainstream spaces. This framing pushes their voices to the margins.
Moreover, in politics, the pattern continues. Jeremy Corbyn, former leader of the UK Labor Party, was barred from standing as a Labor candidate due to his comments on Gaza. His exclusion reflects a broader attempt to keep pro-Palestinian political voices out of mainstream electoral politics.
Together, these cases reveal an expanding global intolerance for pro-Palestinian expression. They raise important questions about whose voices are protected, whose are punished, and what that says about the limits of free speech in the face of power.
Institutional repression
Across universities and public institutions, suppression has also taken on a structural form. Disciplinary actions against students, bans on campus protests, and surveillance of political activity create a hostile environment for organizing.
In the United States, the repression has been stark. At Columbia University, students who protested in solidarity with Gaza were arrested in large numbers. Many also faced disciplinary measures, including probation and interim suspension.
At the University of Chicago, a student was arrested from their dorm room and subsequently banned from campus simply for attending a pro-Palestinian protest. Similarly, at Swarthmore College, a senior student was suspended during their final semester for staging a protest against the university’s ties to companies supporting Israeli military actions.
Similar patterns are unfolding across Europe and Canada. In Germany, authorities have banned commemorations of the Nakba and canceled talks by Palestinian activists, such as Iris Hefets in Bremen. In the UK, police have shut down peaceful protests and local councils have cut ties with organizations critical of Israel. Additionally, In Canada, both universities and municipalities have restricted pro-Palestinian events and symbols, including banners that say “Ceasefire Now.”
This form of repression doesn’t just silence. It isolates and exhausts. In short words, feminist dissent is punished not only by censorship, but by institutional neglect and burnout.
Gatekeeping on digital platforms
Online platforms play a crucial role in shaping public discourse, but they have also become sites of significant censorship for pro-Palestinian voices.
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) has been accused of shadow-banning Palestinian content and suppressing hashtags such as #FreePalestine. Leaked data suggests Meta complied with 95% of Israeli government requests to remove content, impacting millions worldwide.
Ferras Hamad, a former Palestinian‑American Meta engineer, revealed that content moderation systems were biased. He claimed Palestinian content was mislabeled or hidden, and that his efforts to address these issues led to his dismissal.
Moreover, content critical of Israel’s military operations is often mislabeled as hate speech, resulting in removal or de-indexing of posts. This digital gatekeeping amplifies Israeli government narratives while silencing grassroots mobilizations, especially voices from Arab, Muslim, and Global South communities.
Broader implications
The question stands: Why is pro‑Palestinian speech being suppressed so aggressively?
One reason is how narratives are framed. Descriptions of Gaza in terms like settler colonialism, apartheid, or genocide are often labeled as antisemitic – even when they are grounded in legal analysis or first‑hand testimony. Moreover, discussions rooted in feminist critique or anti‑colonial analysis are dismissed as destabilizing.
Institutions, from governments to universities to tech platforms, often hide behind “security” or “neutrality” to justify censorship. But these claims frequently serve as ideological cover for suppressing radical care or global solidarity.
This repression is often gendered. Feminists are familiar with being labeled “too radical,” “too emotional,” or “too invested.” Across struggles, from racial justice to antiwar activism, such labels have long been used to discredit speech that challenges power.
But a troubling new trend is the silencing of elites themselves. UN officials, academics, and parliamentarians expressing solidarity with Palestine are increasingly facing censure, even when their critiques are based on international law and agreed-upon principles.
These trends reveal the fragility of dominant systems when faced with cross‑border feminist speech. When people speak together, those in power feel threatened and increasingly resort to erasure.
Works Cited
Jones, Ryan Patrick, and Kanishka Singh. “US Sanctions UN Expert Critical of Israel’s War in Gaza | Reuters.” Reuters, 10 July 2025, www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-sanctions-un-expert-critical-israels-war-gaza-2025-07-09/.
“Former UK Labour Chief Jeremy Corbyn Launches New Anti-Israel Party | The Times of Israel.” Edited by Agencies and Toi Staff, The Times of Israel, 24 July 2025, www.timesofisrael.com/former-uk-labour-chief-jeremy-corbyn-launches-new-anti-israel-party/.
Ramadan, Maryam. “Rafeef Ziadah: ‘Make a Pariah State of Israel.’” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 20 Mar. 2016, www.aljazeera.com/features/2016/3/20/rafeef-ziadah-make-a-pariah-state-of-israel.
Ahmed, Waqas. “Meta Whistleblowers Reveal Alleged Israeli-Led Censorship Global Campaign Targeting pro-Palestinian Speech.” Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/meta-whistleblowers-reveal-alleged-israeli-led-censorship-global-campaign-targeting-pro-palestinian-speech/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.
“Columbia University Suspends, Expels Nearly 80 Students over Gaza Protests.” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 23 July 2025, www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/23/columbia-university-suspends-expels-nearly-80-students-over-gaza-protests.
Noor ul Sabah
Noor ul Sabah is a feminist researcher focused on intersectional approaches to gender, technology, and governance. Her work explores how power and identity shape experiences of violence, migration, and citizenship.
