Did YouTube Remove IDF Videos or Did Anti-Israel YouTube Users?

The IDF created a YouTube channel in order to combat the usual wave of anti-Israel press from the world’s objective journalists.  The most popular one showed some Hamas terrorists being delivered directly to Allah while they loaded Katyusha missiles into the back of a truck.

The video was removed.  I’ll give YouTube the benefit of the doubt and say this was an automated, user generated removal, spawned by anti-Israel viewers clicking on the “Flag” button. 

However, the IDF feels it may be a conscious decision by YouTube:

We are saddened that YouTube has taken down some of our exclusive footage showing the IDF’s operational success in operation Cast Lead against Hamas extremists in the Gaza Strip. As the State of Israel again faces those who would see it destroyed, it is imperative that we in the IDF show the world the inhumanity directed against us and our efforts to stop it. It is also worth noting that one of the videos removed had the highest number of hits (over 10,000) at the time of its removal.

As it stands now we are working on opening up new channels on alternative sites, when we are done we will post the addresses here.

Commentary says that the most viewed video has been taken down and describes it as “a group of Hamas goons being blown up in an air strike as they loaded Katyusha missiles onto a truck.”

Here’s that video:

 
It looks like the video Commentary says was removed.  I think YouTube restored what its users flagged as inappropriate.
 
The thing about social media is that anyone can be a critic, anyone can try to dictate what is appropriate and should be seen.  Those who oppose Israel, and use YouTube, can easily censor the IDF channel by getting enough people to flag the video as inappropriate.
 
Before assuming YouTube is behind this, consider this as a possible alternative.

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Duane Lester Duane is a former Navy journalist turned blogger and podcaster.
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