Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has 'blood on his hands' for murder of a teenager in her bed, says Israeli MP

Top Israeli Minister Gilad Erdan accused the social media website of 'sabotages' to police work following the murder of Hallel Yaffa Ariel

Facebook responded that the company works regularly with security organisations around the world to guarantee safe use of the website (iStock)

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has blood on his hands for the social media website’s part in the murder of a 13-year-old girl in her bed, an Israeli MP has said.

Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan lambasted Facebook for allowing Palestinian hate speech to remain online despite its moderation rules, and noted that the teenager’s murderer had announced his intentions on the social media site prior to committing the crime.

Hallel Yaffa Ariel was stabbed to death last week as she slept in her bedroom in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Ara. The killer has been identified as Muhammad Nasser Tarayrah, 17, who stabbed a civilian security guard soon afterwards and was shot to death by other security guards at the scene.

Speaking in an interview on an Israeli state television channel, Mr Erdan said: “I have no doubt that Facebook, today, which brought a positive revolution to the world, unfortunately since the rise of ISIS, has simply become a monster”.

“The young generation in the Palestinian Authority suckles all of its incitement against Israel from Facebook and, in the end, goes and commits murders. Some of the blood of the victims of the recent attacks, including that of Hallel - may her memory be blessed - is unfortunately on the hands of Mark Zuckerberg, because the police and security forces could have been told about the post of that vile murderer.”

Mr Erdan accused Facebook of “sabotaging the work of the police,” by not cooperating with them when regarding residents of Judea and Samaria. He said the site also places a very high standard for what is considered incitement in posts.

In order to pressure Zuckerberg into changing the Facebook policy guidelines, Israelis should “flood him in every possible place with the demand to monitor the platform he established and from which he earns billions,” said the MP.

“If other media outlets were to demonstrate how to murder Jews, they would have been closed immediately,” he said. “This is the time for citizens of Israel to demand, in any way they can, that he [Zuckerberg] monitor the platform he created from which he has made billions and remove inciting content. The responsibility is his.”

Zionist Union member Erel Margalit responded to Mr Erdan by saying: “Last time I checked, Zuckerberg was not elected prime minister of Israel and is not a member of our security cabinet, so he will not stop the terrorism.”

Facebook responded to Mr Erdan that the company works regularly with security organisations and decision makers around the world to guarantee that people know how to use Facebook safely.

In a statement, a company spokesperson said: “There is no place for content that encourages violence, direct threats, terror or words of hate on our platform.”

“Facebook has a regular dialogue with the [Israeli] government on such issues.”

The company called on the public to report content that violates its rules.