Israel wants Intifada app removed

2011-06-22 14:49

Tel Aviv - Israel has sent a letter to Apple CEO Steve Jobs asking that the computer giant remove from its iTunes store an application calling for a third Palestinian Intifada (uprising) against Israel.

Gal Ilan, a spokesperson for the Public Affairs Ministry which sent the letter, said on Wednesday that the ministry believed the letter would have the desired effect.

The Arabic-language application, developed by a Dubai-based company and called "thirdintifada", was released on June 15, and was still available on Wednesday for free download from iTunes.

"Upon review of the stories, articles and photos published by means of the application, one can easily see that this is in fact anti-Israel and anti-Zionist. Furthermore, as is implied by its name, the application calls for an uprising against the State of Israel," the letter, signed by Public Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein, said.

He said the application aimed to inform people of protest activities, some of them violent, against Israel. He pointed out that the same group had set up a Facebook page calling for "lethal force" and spreading "hateful material" against Israel.

Edelstein called on Apple to carry out the "immediate removal" of the application, "and thus continue the tradition of Apple applications dedicated to purely entertainment and informative purposes and not serve as an instrument for incitement to violence".

The Arabic-language application, developed by a company based in Dubai, updates users on upcoming protests, and highlights articles critical of Israel.

Edelstein lobbied successfully three months ago to get Facebook to remove a page calling for a violent uprising against Israel.

Palestinians have launched two popular uprisings against Israel - one beginning in 1987, the other starting on 2000. Calls have recently proliferated for a third uprising.

- SAPA