
TikTok hires ex-Israeli army instructor as new hate speech manager, sparking backlash
The social media platform announced that Erica Mindel, a former US State Department contractor who worked for ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, the Biden administration's special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, will join TikTok's public policy and hate speech team in the US.
Mindel will 'develop and drive the company's positions on hate speech', aim to 'influence legislative and regulatory frameworks', and 'analyse hate speech trends' with a particular focus on antisemitic content, according to the official job description shared by TikTok.
She listed her new role at TikTok on her page as "Public Policy Manager, Hate Speech, at TikTok."
Before her career at the US State Department, Mindel was an instructor in the Armoured Corps in the Israeli army's spokesperson's unit, according to information she provided when she appeared on a podcast with the American Jewish Committee.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
In the podcast, Mindel says she volunteered and enlisted in the Israeli army and served for two years.
Many on social media criticised TikTok's decision, suggesting that the social media platform aims to silence pro-Palestinian speech.
TikTok has hired Erica Mindel, a former IOF soldier, to run 'hate speech' enforcement. That means silencing Palestinians.
Her job was built by the ADL, pays up to $330K, and she openly flaunted her Zionist identity in an AJC video. pic.twitter.com/1w9WZEUKXj — Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) July 29, 2025
Meanwhile, it appears the position was created after a 'high-level convening' that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) helped coordinate last year, according to Dan Granot, the ADL's national director of antisemitism policy.
In a statement to Jewish Insider, Granot said the role emerged as 'a key recommendation for all social media platforms' during that gathering.
Last year, Wikipedia's editors voted to declare the ADL "generally unreliable" on Israel and Palestine as well as the issue of antisemitism, adding the organisation to a list of banned sources, according to a report by the Jewish Telegraph Agency.
The ADL has a long history of attacking Palestinian rights movements with labels of antisemitism, and previously worked with US law enforcement to spy on Arab-American groups. It also facilitated and funded US police training trips to Israel.
The ADL put out a celebratory tweet on X, suggesting that they welcome the decision.
As antisemitism and hate surge to record levels, we welcome @tiktok_us's creation of a role focused specifically on hate speech and antisemitism. As ADL's @_DanGranot said, 'it's a promising sign of TikTok's willingness to take these challenges seriously.' https://t.co/uX2ctiYYOv — ADL (@ADL) July 28, 2025
Many on social media have suggested they believe TikTok has 'submitted to pressure' from the ADL, hinting at the possibility that TikTok is 'complying with these censorship demands to try and stave off a ban' in the US.
🚨 TikTok has hired ex-IDF instructor Erica Mindel to "develop and drive the company's positions on hate speech" with a focus on combatting "antisemitism."
The position she's getting (base salary $178k-$330k) was created under pressure from the Anti-Defamation League.
Here's… pic.twitter.com/MLvpCydTIU — Chris Menahan 🇺🇸 (@infolibnews) July 28, 2025
In 2024, a bill looking to ban the app overwhelmingly passed in the US Congress. The bill, which passed in the House by a 352-65 vote, required TikTok to be sold to an American company or face a ban in the US.
TikTok was briefly banned in the US after a law that forced its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban on 19 January.
While US President Donald Trump temporarily reversed the TikTok ban the day after he took office, the application's future in the country, as well as the state of its pro-Palestine content, remains unclear.
In February, congressional insiders revealed that the main reason behind the United States' push to ban TikTok is due to Israel's image on the platform rather than fears of Chinese infiltration.
Last week, US Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Don Bacon (R-NE), together with ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, announced the renewed introduction of the STOP HATE Act, a bill aimed at combating the spread of antisemitism on social media platforms like TikTok.
Several US lawmakers and prominent figures have been attacking the platform due to the alleged prominence of pro-Palestinian content on it, including Republican Senator and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
43 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Syria after Assad: How Israel and the US are accelerating plans to partition the country
Last month, Israel launched a new round of air strikes on Syria, hitting targets near Damascus, Homs and the southern province of Sweida. Presented as attacks on Syrian government forces and under the pretext of protecting the Druze minority, they aim to advance the Zionist regime's ongoing campaign of regional domination and fragmentation. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Israel has expanded its aggression, occupying more than 400 sqkm of additional Syrian territory and systematically destroying what remains of the country's military infrastructure. This escalation comes as Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, now in its 23rd month, continues to reverberate across multiple fronts. The United States has also carried out air strikes and raids, backed Kurdish forces in the northeast and facilitated Israeli attacks - all to maintain its foothold in Syria and prevent the rise of any force that could challenge its order. While the US prioritises geostrategic control and the protection of its energy and security interests, Israel seeks to break Syria into ethnic and sectarian enclaves as part of a decades-old strategy to fragment the Arab world and cement its own regional hegemony. This policy follows the approach both have pursued since the outset of the Syrian war in 2011. At its core lies a shared objective: to dismantle Syria as a unified, sovereign state and ensure that no regional or global actor can challenge the American-Israeli order in the Middle East. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Fragmenting Syria Israel's strategy in the Arab world can be traced back to the early days of the Zionist state. Internal Israeli strategic documents from the 1950s, including proposals by the Israeli foreign ministry and Mossad, advocated for a Kurdish state as a buffer against Arab nationalism. This vision was later crystallised in the infamous 1982 Yinon Plan, authored by Oded Yinon, a former Israeli foreign ministry official. The plan called for "the dissolution of districts of ethnic and religious minorities...[as] Israel's primary target on the Eastern front in the long will disintegrate into several states along the lines of its ethnic and religious structure". Israel's dominance depended on fragmenting the Arab world into sectarian and ethnic enclaves, replacing strong, unified countries with weak, balkanised statelets The Yinon Plan argued that Israel's security and dominance depended on the dissolution of Arab states into smaller sectarian and ethnic entities, including Druze, Alawi, Kurdish, Maronite, Coptic and others. The aim was to replace strong, centralised Arab states with weak, balkanised statelets that posed no threat to Israel and could potentially become allies or proxies under Israeli protection. In the case of Syria, this strategy involves the partition of the country into four main zones of influence: 1) a Druze homeland centred in Sweida in southern Syria, where Israel hopes to foster a Druze-aligned mini-state under its influence; 2) an Alawi statelet in the coastal region under Russian protection, centred around Latakia and Tartus; 3) a Kurdish zone in northeastern Syria, backed by the US, where the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People's Protection Units (YPG) control vast swathes of territory; and 4) a Sunni Arab belt under Turkish influence, especially along the northern and northwestern borders and the heartland. This partition model directly serves Israeli goals by keeping Syria weak, divided and unable to re-emerge as a regional actor capable of supporting the Palestinian resistance or opposing Israeli expansionism. It has long been embedded in Zionist strategy for the Middle East. One of the most influential Zionist thinkers and advisers to American and Israeli officials, Bernard Lewis, wrote in 1992: "Most of the states of the Middle to such a process [of 'Lebanonisation']. If the central power is sufficiently state then a chaos of squabbling, feuding, fighting sects, tribes, regions, and parties." Crippling Syria Since 2013, the Zionist regime has waged a sustained aerial campaign on Syrian territory, often under the pretext of targeting Iranian or Hezbollah positions. After 7 October 2023, these attacks expanded to include the assassination of senior Iranian and Hezbollah commanders on Syrian soil, as part of a wider assault on the so-called "Axis of Resistance" - targeting Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and allied forces across the region, including in Syria. Follow Middle East Eye's live coverage of Israel's war on Gaza Israel's destabilisation efforts in Syria mirror the siege and destruction it is inflicting on Gaza, and are aimed at weakening resistance forces and accelerating the long-standing plan to divide the country. Over time, Israel has destroyed Syria's air defence systems, weapons depots, military bases and scientific research centres. In recent months, this strategy has sought to deter Iran, prevent Syria from rebuilding its military capacity and enforce permanent Israeli military and psychological superiority in the region. Controlling Syria The US strategy in Syria aligns with its post-Cold War grand strategy of preventing any regional or global rival from gaining ground. During the Cold War, Washington viewed Syria, especially under former President Hafez al-Assad, as a Soviet client state and a supporter of Arab nationalist causes, Palestinian resistance and regional alliances opposed to US influence. After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the US sought to isolate Syria and prevent it from filling the regional vacuum left by Saddam Hussein's ouster. Since Syria's 2011 uprising, the US has adopted a policy of selective engagement: backing Kurdish forces in the northeast under the guise of countering extremist groups and limiting Iranian influence, while allowing Israeli strikes. Syria after Assad: Why Israel's vow to 'protect' the Druze is hollow Read More » Even though the US appears to support a de facto partition of Syria, its objective is not necessarily Israeli-style ethnic fragmentation. Rather, it seeks to preserve a military and political presence that blocks Russian and Iranian access to the eastern Mediterranean and ensures any future Syrian government aligns with Washington's strategic interests. The recent escalation in the southern Druze-majority city of Sweida underscores Israel's interest in carving out a loyal enclave along its northern front - a goal consistent with the Yinon Plan's strategy of cultivating alliances with minorities who might favour autonomy under Israeli patronage. Yet the Druze community remains divided, with many rejecting foreign interference. While Israel pushes for this statelet, the US is cautious - calling for calm but avoiding any condemnation, wary of backlash in neighbouring states and among Druze communities inside Israel. It also fears that further fragmentation could strengthen extremist groups or open the door to Russian and Iranian gains. The US, therefore, prefers a controlled, divided Syria - weak enough to be pliant but not totally collapsed - where it can retain influence without triggering wider regional instability. Israel, by contrast, is more willing to tolerate, or even foment, chaos if it means permanently removing Syria as a potential threat, especially having already annexed the Syrian Golan Heights. Turkey's stake Turkey plays a crucial role in Syria's current reconstruction. Ankara initially sought regime change in Damascus by backing opposition groups and militant factions. However, after failed attempts to unseat Assad and growing concerns over Kurdish autonomy near its borders, Turkey shifted focus. Turkish forces moved into parts of northern Syria, where they support Syrian Arab and Turkmen militias in order to check and limit Kurdish influence. Since the ouster of Assad, Turkey has become the main power backing and supporting the current Syrian regime. Turkey's interests diverge sharply from those of the US and Israel, which have focused on empowering Kurdish militias and Druze separatists, respectively. While the US and Israel have supported Kurdish actors as counterweights to Assad and Iran, Turkey considers any Kurdish autonomy a national security threat. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently declared: "Turkey will intervene against any attempts to fragment Syria or allow militant groups to gain are warning you: no group should engage in acts towards division." Fight for the 'Heartland' A famous principle of geopolitical theory, put forward by British academic and politician Halford Mackinder, states: "Who rules Eastern Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; who rules the World Island commands the world." Unless regional actors form a coordinated response, Syria's dismemberment could become a permanent reality By analogy, Syria occupies a central node in the Arab world, controlling vital transit routes, trade corridors and regional alliances - much like Mackinder's Heartland. Regional and global powers believe that whoever controls Syria, or a major part of it, will influence - if not shape - the entire Middle East. In this context, the US and Israel are executing a two-pronged policy in Syria. For the US, Syria is a chessboard on which it seeks to block adversaries, protect petrodollar hegemony and secure Israel's position without becoming too entangled. For Israel, Syria is an existential threat to be dismantled and restructured into a patchwork of mini-states. The danger lies in the prolonged suffering of the Syrian people, the erosion of Arab sovereignty and the potential explosion of wider conflict. Unless regional actors - particularly Turkey, but also Iran and Arab states - form a coordinated response, Syria's dismemberment could become a permanent reality, fulfilling the long-standing Zionist blueprint for a fractured, compliant Middle East. The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.


The National
an hour ago
- The National
US House Speaker 'calls West Bank rightful property of Jewish people' during visit
, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, visited the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the West Bank on Monday, according to reports. A photo posted on X by Israel Hayom showed settlement mayor Yair Chetboun with Mr Johnson and the Speaker's wife after apparently having planted a tree. Mr Johnson is the highest-ranking US official to visit an Israeli settlement. Marc Zell, chairman of Republicans Overseas Israel, said in a post on X that Mr Johnson had called the West Bank - which he referred to by its biblical name of "Judea and Samaria" - 'the rightful property of the Jewish people'. The Speaker was originally scheduled to visit Israel at the end of June, but that was derailed by the air war between Israel and Iran. The private visit was organised by a pro-Israel advocacy group, Axios reported, quoting Israeli officials. He was accompanied on his visit to Israel by a group of Republican members of Congress. The group held a meeting with Defence Minister Israel Katz, who thanked them for their 'unwavering support and moral clarity in standing with Israel against its enemies'. Mr Johnson's office did not immediately respond to The National' s request for comment. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemned the visit, calling it 'a blatant violation of international law, international legitimacy resolutions, and the Arab and US efforts to stop the war, halt the cycle of violence, and achieve calm'. The ministry said the visit was a 'clear contradiction with the declared US position regarding settlements and settlers' attacks'. It added that it views the visit as 'an encouragement of settlement crimes, settlers' actions, and the confiscation of Palestinian lands. Mr Johnson, a Republican and supporter of US President Donald Trump, has frequently voiced strong support for Israel. While American politicians have visited Israeli settlements in the past, this is the first time a Speaker of the House – third in line of the presidential succession – has done so. Former secretary of state Mike Pompeo visited a winery in the West Bank in 2020. Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories are considered to be illegal under international law. Under former president Joe Biden, the US described settlements as 'illegitimate' and imposed sanctions on several Israeli settlers, freezing their US assets and barring Americans from dealing with them following growing reports of violence by settlers against Palestinians – including American citizens. Mr Trump reversed those sanctions soon after taking office.


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Exclusive: UK pushed Arab states to condemn Hamas in UN conference statement
Britain strongly pushed for a United Nations conference statement to demand the disarmament of Hamas and its withdrawal from Gaza, Middle East Eye has learnt. A UN conference in New York last week, attended by more than 100 countries and co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, aimed to advance momentum for a two-state solution. The New York Declaration, released afterwards, demands that Hamas end its rule over Gaza and hand its weapons to the Palestinian Authority. Numerous diplomatic sources told MEE the UK was pivotal in pushing for these demands to be included in the statement, as well as the inclusion of strong language condemning the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. The statement marked the first time that Arab League states have end0rsed such positions at the UN. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters It was described as "both historic and unprecedented" by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. He hailed that for "the first time" Arab and Middle Eastern countries "condemn Hamas, condemn 7 October, call for its disarmament, call for its exclusion from any form of participation in the governance of Palestine, and clearly express their intention to maintain normalised relations with Israel in the future and to join Israel and the future state of Palestine in a regional organisation". MEE has contacted the British Foreign Office for comment. UK and France to recognise Palestinian statehood During the conference, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced that the UK intends to recognise Palestinian statehood in September, following France's commitment that it would do so days earlier. Barring a dramatic diplomatic reversal, France and Britain will become the first G7 countries to recognise Palestine. But these moves, and the UN conference, are unlikely to create any significant momentum towards a two-state solution. Will the UK recognising the State of Palestine make any difference? Read More » Neither the US nor Israel attended the conference, which the US State Department described as a "publicity stunt" that would "prolong the war, embolden Hamas, and reward its obstruction and undermine real-world efforts to achieve peace". France's announcement on 24 July that it would recognise the state of Palestine in September provoked the ire of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who "strongly condemned" what he called a decision that "rewards terrorism". On 23 July, the Israeli parliament passed a non-binding motion calling on the Israeli government to annex the occupied West Bank. And on 4 August, unnamed sources close to Netanyahu briefed local media that he is now pushing for the full occupation of the besieged Gaza Strip. Channel 12 quoted "senior figures in the Prime Minister's Office" as saying: "The decision has been made, Israel is heading towards the occupation of the Gaza Strip." This would involve expanding ground operations into areas where captives are believed to be held, and into locations where Israeli troops have not operated for over a year, including western Gaza City and the central refugee camps. In these circumstances, a viable Palestinian state is highly unlikely to materialise.