Nadine Osman
Facebook has come under fire after an Al Jazeera investigation revealed that the platform has hosted more than 100 paid advertisements promoting illegal Israeli settlements and far-right settler activity in the occupied West Bank.
Published on April 4, the findings raise serious concerns about Facebook’s parent company, Meta, and its role in facilitating and profiting from content that could violate international law and contribute to systemic human rights abuses.
Among the adverts identified were explicit calls for the demolition of Palestinian homes, schools, and even playgrounds. Other advertisements sought donations for Israeli military units operating in Gaza, including some that remain active on Facebook despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024.
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, confirmed it reviews all ads on its platforms and acknowledged removing some for “violating our social issues, elections, and politics policies.” However, it did not clarify whether ads promoting settlements on occupied Palestinian land breach its internal rules.
Legal experts say Meta could be complicit in breaches of international law by approving, accepting payment for, and publishing these advertisements. British MP Brian Leishman described the revelations as “extremely concerning”.
The investigation uncovered at least 52 paid ads placed by Israeli real estate firms marketing properties in West Bank settlements. First published in March 2024, many of these ads remain live on Facebook, targeting users in Israel, the UK, and the US.
Meta responded it has “robust processes and teams” to review ads, with a system “designed to review ads before they go live,” primarily using automation supported by human oversight and manual checks when needed.
Four of the ads focused on property sales in the illegal settlement of Ariel, located approximately 20km east of the Green Line. Written in Hebrew and aimed at Israeli Facebook users, these ads were paid for by a page called “Ramat Aderet”, which promotes “penthouses for a perfect quality of life”.
The Ramat Aderet (Hillside Crown) project consists of two neighbourhoods with 27 buildings, valued at $300 million (£230 million), and backed by Ram Aderet, a real estate firm financed by the First International Bank of Israel. This bank has been a target of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement due to its role in financing settlements. In January 2014, Dutch pension fund PGGM withdrew its investments, followed by AXA in 2022.
Additionally, 48 ads were traced to Gabai Real Estate, promoting homes in Ma’ale Adumim and Efrat settlements. These developments were approved in March 2024 by Israel’s Higher Planning Committee, now led by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has had unchecked authority to approve settlement expansions since 2023.
“Unfortunately, we were only able to post 48 ads because our budget is limited, and we advertise on many different platforms. But as we sell more homes to Jews returning home to Judea, our advertising budget will increase, and we can post more,” said Yaniv Gabbay, co-owner of Gabai Real Estate.
The adverts paint an idyllic picture of settlement life. One listing described an eight-bedroom mansion with a “huge garden, large succah area (seats 50+), above-ground pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, cold plunge, and breathtaking desert mountain views… A dream home just 20 minutes from Jerusalem! Don’t miss out!”
Carolina Are, a platform governance expert at Northumbria University, said, “The real estate ads have been expertly framed as standard property listings, allowing them to elude moderation.” She added that moderators may not fully understand the nuances of international law.
Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law, with the Rome Statute classifying the transfer of civilian populations into occupied territories as a war crime.
Professor Aoife O’Donoghue of Queen’s University Belfast explained, “While property in the West Bank can be privately bought and sold, whether they have the legal title to sell that land at all would be highly questionable.” She added, “If the Israeli government is facilitating it, and they are settlements, then they would be in violation of the Third Geneva Convention. The Israeli government has a duty to prevent illegal settlements.”
Al Jazeera also uncovered 50 ads by Regavim, a far-right settler group linked to Smotrich, which advocates for the destruction of Palestinian property and is funded by pro-settlement organizations sanctioned by the UK and US.
One ad celebrated the demolition of a Palestinian school, claiming, “Following our petition, Civil Administration forces tore down an illegal Palestinian school built in the Herodian Nature Reserve.” Another targeted a Palestinian water park, stating: “Palestinians are enjoying themselves at our expense.”
Regavim defended the school demolition, with Naomi Linder Kahn stating, “[It] was deemed by the [Israeli] courts to pose a very serious and imminent danger to the safety and wellbeing of the Palestinian children.”
The EU and Human Rights Watch have condemned the demolition of Palestinian schools, calling the practice discriminatory and a violation of children’s right to education. In October 2024, nearly 90 US lawmakers urged President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on Regavim.
Regavim maintains it is not a far-right organisation but rather a “mainstream, professional contributor to public discourse” and a “frequent participant in national policy discussion and debate”.
British MP Brian Leishman said, “Revelations that Israeli far-right pro-settler groups as well as businesses – and allegedly even active Israeli soldiers – may be using social media to promote what could be seen as illegal under international law are extremely concerning.”
Meta’s advertising violations go beyond settlement promotion. Al Jazeera uncovered nine active fundraising ads for Israeli military units in Gaza, funded by Israeli singer Mayer Malik, asking for donations for sniper teams, drone units, and special forces battalions, despite the November 2024 ceasefire.
One advert read, “We urgently need shooting tripods to complete our mission in Jabalia.” Other ads sought funds for drones for the Yasar Battalion and night-vision goggles for the Golani Brigade. Meta’s policy bans ads promoting weapons or accessories.
Professor Neve Gordon of Queen Mary University London said, “By allowing third parties to post such ads, Facebook becomes complicit in their criminal activity.”
Leishman added, “Social media giants should be more careful about what they allow, rather than profiteering from organizations with a dangerous agenda. It is time they take responsibility and stop being complicit in violations of international law.”
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