Facebook has carried out a program for more than 100 paid advertisements that reinforce illegal settlements and the activity of the far -right settlers in the occupied West Bank, and has found the island’s investigations, which raised fears that the social media giant benefits from the content that might violate international law.

Among the ads that were identified, there were calls for the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools and stadiums, in addition to calls for donations to the Israeli military units operating in Gaza.

The parent company told Facebook Al Jazerera that any ads reviewed by the company were reviewed by the company. While it admitted that some advertisements have been removed since then because of “violating our social issues, elections and policies of politics,” they did not specify whether the promotion of illegal settlements built on the stolen Palestinian territories that violated these standards was.

Legal experts told Al -Jazeera that dead could be complicit in violations of international law by approving, accepting and publishing these advertisements. Brian Lesman, a UK parliament deputy, described the results as “very worrying”.

An illegal settlement announced on Facebook

At least 52 ads driven by Israeli real estate companies were found to promote property sales in settlements across the occupied West Bank, targeting buyers from all over Israel as well as some users in the United Kingdom and the United States. These ads were first published in March 2024, and many are still active on Facebook.

“We have strong advertising review operations and teams, and our advertising review system is designed to review ads before going on the air,” Mita told island. “This system is primarily dependent on automatic technology to apply our advertising criteria on millions of ads that work through our applications, while relying on our teams to build and train these systems, and in some cases, to manually review ads.”

Among the ads identified by the island is at least at least four to promote property sales in the illegal Israeli settlement of Ariel, 20 km (12 miles) east of the Green Line in the occupied West Bank. The lists, written in Hebrew and targeting Facebook users, were pushed by the Facebook page called “Ramat AdERET”, which describes itself as “penthouse of the quality of ideal life”.

According to the website, the Ramat Adrete (Hillside Crown) project is “Hayan – north and south – with a total of 27 … ranging from 4 to 8 floors. Apartments provide a full urban living experience in an ideal neighborhood.” The company has a rating of 300 million dollars, according to Pitchbook, a research and financial data provider.

Ramat Adyret did not respond to Al -Jazeera’s request for comment.

The real estate company that sells apartments and homes in Ariel is Ram Edirit, which has received funding from the first Bank of Israel International.

The boycott movement, the withdrawal of investments, and the BDS have long called for a boycott of the bank because of its role in financing illegal settlements. After the pressure, in January 2014, the Dutch pension fund withdrew investments from the bank, while the insurance giant was declined in 2022.

Another 48 advertisements were published by Gabai Real Estate, the role of advertising in the occupied West Bank settlement from Ma’ale Adumim and EFRAT.

These homes are part of the expansion approved in March 2024 by the “Supreme Planning Committee” in Israel, which is supervised by the right -wing minister of extremist Finance Bizalil Sottic, who no longer needs political or military approvals for expansion plans.

“Unfortunately, we just managed to publish 48 advertisements because our budget is limited, and we announce many different platforms. But since we sell more homes for Jews who return home to Judea, our advertising budget will increase, and we can spread more,” Yanif Gabai, co -owner of Gabai Real Estate, told Al Jazerara.

Some Israelis refer to the West Bank occupied in the name of Juda and Samaria, and the right -wing government has pushed a boost towards annexing the Palestinian territories.

Ads are trying to photograph living in settlements as perfect. One of them lists an eight -bed palace with a “huge garden, a large suka area (50+ seats), a swimming pool above the ground, a jacuzzi, a sauna, cold landing, and a look of the amazing desert mountain … Ahlam house only 20 minutes from Jerusalem! Don’t miss!”

Carolina, a platform governance researcher at the Center for Digital Citizens at the University of Northomia, told Al -Jazeera that “real estate ads have been framing with experience as standard real estate lists, allowing them to express.”

She added, “The supervisors may not be familiar with the nuances of international law as well.”

Under international law, all Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. The transfer of civilian population in the occupied authority to the occupied territories is a war crime under the Rome Law of the International Criminal Court.

“In the West Bank, the property can be purchased and sold in particular. However, whether they have the legal title to sell that land at all it will be very doubtful,” said Professor Eve Odonugu, an international law expert from Queen Belfast University.

“If the Israeli government facilitates it, which is settlements, it will be in violation of the third Geneva Convention. Here, the Israeli government has the duty to prevent illegal settlements.”

Settlement groups are pushed for demolitions

Al -Jazeera also set 50 advertisements published by RGAVIM, which is a far -right settlement group founded by Smotrich in 2006, which called for the destruction of Palestinian homes, schools and a children’s water park. The group receives funding from the Israeli government through the West Bank settlement councils, as well as secure, another organization in support of the settlement punishable by British governments and the United States.

One of the advertisements celebrated the demolition of a Palestinian school, boasting: “After our contact, the civil administration forces tore a Palestinian illegal school built in the Herodian Natural Reserve … This school is only one of more than 100 illegal school buildings.”

Another declaration called for the demolition of a Palestinian water park, claiming: “Palestinians enjoy themselves at our expense.”

Regavim defended the campaign against the school, saying it “was built for the only purpose of creating confrontation.”

“[It] He considered it [Israeli] “The courts are a very serious and imminent danger to the safety and welfare of Palestinian children who were on a bus to fill the temporary structure,” said Naomi Linder Khan of Reagafim.

The European Union previously condemned the demolition of schools in the West Bank, and Human Rights Watch described this practice as “discriminatory and violates the right of children to education.”

In October last year, nearly 90 American lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on Regavim.

Regavim denies that a group of extremist or settler, instead, claims to be “a major and professional shareholder in public discourse and is a repeated participant in discussing national policy and discussion.”

But Lesman, the British MP, said: “The disclosure of the right-wing Israeli extremist groups in support of housing in addition to the companies-to the active Israeli soldiers-may use social media to enhance what can be seen as illegal under international law.”

To collect donations on Facebook for Israeli soldiers in Gaza

Besides the expansion of the settlement, Meta also made donations for the Israeli military units operating in Gaza, even after the announcement of the ceasefire.

Legal experts say that allowing such ads may violate international humanitarian law by strengthening military operations in the occupied territories.

Nine ads, which were paid by Israeli singer Mayer Malik, sought donations for snipers, drones and the Special Forces Brigades deployed in Gaza. “We urgently need to photograph the triple pregnant women to complete our mission in JABALIA,” says one of the ads, which is still active on Facebook.

Other advertisements requested the financing of drones for the Yassar battalion and the elite Israeli army unit in Rafah, in addition to the night vision glasses, Al -Jolani Brigade.

Malik did not respond to two requests to comment from the island.

According to Meta ads, ads should not enhance the sale or use of weapons, ammunition or explosives. This includes ads of weapons modification accessories. “

“Facebook earns money from criminal activity,” said Professor Neve Gordon of Queen Mary University, UK.

“By allowing third parties to publish such ads, Facebook becomes complicit in its criminal activity, because the advertisements themselves play a role in the actions of bleaching, normalizing and giving legitimacy to the actions that, according to international humanitarian law and Rome’s law, are horrific crimes.”

“Social media giants should be more cautious about what they allow to appear on their platforms, instead of taking advantage of organizations with a dangerous and disagreement agenda,” Lesman added.

“It is time for them to start taking responsibility so that they are not complicit in the systematic violations of international law.

“Everyone is subjected to a commitment not to recognize, assistance, or help in preserving the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories – social media giants are not exempt or above the law.”