By Rebel News | Created at 2025-03-17 04:46:15 | Updated at 2025-03-17 11:22:29
7 hours ago
Well-known Australian Jewish commentator Daniel Lewkovitz has been permanently banned from X following a coordinated attack by anti-Israel activists.
I talked with him to unpack how X, the so-called “free speech platform,” caved to a mass reporting campaign. “If I were the supreme leader of Iran calling for the total murder of 9 million Jews, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Lewkovitz quipped, highlighting the absurdity of his ban.
Lewkovitz’s crime? A spicy, tongue-in-cheek post about a criminal scaling Big Ben. “No one could possibly take it seriously,” he said, yet it triggered a coordinated pile-on. He woke up to a text: “Have you blocked me on X? I can’t DM you anymore.” Logging in, he found his account axed for “violent speech.”
The culprits? Organised groups, like one trans activist boasting “free Palestine” in their bio. They gloat online, treating Lewkovitz’s ban like a trophy.
This isn’t Lewkovitz’s first rodeo. Last year, a satirical jab at “Queers for Palestine” — pointing out Hamas’s brutality toward gay people — earned him a suspension.
X’s system flagged it as “advocating suicide.” “AI systems don’t have a sense of humour,” he lamented. Appeals? Denied in seconds. With nearly 17,000 followers, he’s now silenced.
“I’m not prepared to go down without a fight,” Lewkovitz declared. Neither am I. X is rewarding the haters who abuse the platform while punishing voices that drive engagement. It’s inconsistent, it’s gutless, and it’s killing the marketplace of ideas.
Avi Yemini
Chief Australian Correspondent
Avi Yemini is the Australia Bureau Chief for Rebel News. He's a former Israeli Defence Force marksman turned citizen journalist. Avi's most known for getting amongst the action and asking the tough questions in a way that brings a smile to your face.
