Apple Removes Anti-Israel 'ThirdIntifada' App From App Store

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Inc. says it has removed an application called "ThirdIntifada" from its App Store following complaints that it glorified violence against Israel.

Israel's information minister, Yuli Edelstein, requested the company remove the app in an email he sent to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Jewish human rights group The Simon Wiesenthal Center also complained to Apple.

"Intifada" is the Arabic term for two violent uprisings against Israel over the past two decades. The free application encouraged followers to share opinions and organize protests against Israel.

It linked to a website that helped organize violent clashes with Israeli troops recently along Israel's frontiers with Lebanon and Syria.

Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said Wednesday the app was removed "because it violates the developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people."

Comments

[GeorgieMark]

02:23 AM on 06/26/2011

I've said so before when Apple had to pull another app from itunes due to content.

Apple will always find themselves in a tight spot with the apps store, because they have decided to censor apps, furthermore they have set their tolerance bar way too low to a point where the difference between offensive and inoffensive content is no longer clear.

Had Apple screened apps only for compatibility performance and malware issues it would never be the target of so many groups. To the best of my recollection Apple were targeted for objectionable content at least 3 times in a time frame of 2 months.

a) LGTB groups complained to Apple because itunes listed an app for "rehabilitating" homosexuals.
b) Immigrant groups due to a game where the player attempts to smuggle a truck load of illegal immigrants across the border
c) Now Israel (as stated above).

[deb0]

02:48 PM on 06/24/2011

Once again, the all-powerful, always-whining Jews/Isrealis regime complaining about someething, playing the "woe is me" card.

You don't like the app, don't download it.

[Benjamin Rosenfeld]

04:30 PM on 06/24/2011

Bring back baby-shaker.

[kinenbi]

01:46 PM on 06/24/2011

If there are no anti-arab apps, why should there be Anti-Israel apps? Clearly people just like to whine about Israel (from the comfort of their suburbia home) whenever they want something to cry about.

[David Christensen]

01:10 PM on 06/24/2011

App creators need to get approval before being able to put their product on itunes. So who do they have reviewing these apps?

[frankland99]

10:05 AM on 06/24/2011

good thing, im sure thousands of unsuspecting suburban teens were minutes away from downloading this hateful app and immediately strapping on bombs. Ok, good, then lets also scrap pro israel propaganda as well. No more ADL police everytime someone criticizes israel, and lets give the yearly holocaust movie a break. We got it. It would have more weight if it wasnt such an obvious contradiction to how israel treats its palestinian citizens. If Foxman could only be 2% as outraged about that type of defamation as he is marketing ideas that poor helpless jews are being chased and persecuted in this country and we are always 2 steps away from another holocaust.

[stepintothelight]

09:58 AM on 06/24/2011

Yesterday a Congressman ....

Today an App...

What's next????

[News Junkies]

09:52 AM on 06/24/2011

Another Sad Day for America. First Our Politicians BOW DOWN and Kiss the Israeli Prime Minister's Behind, and Now Steve Jobs doing the same thing.

Shame On You Steve Jobs and Apple.

[Len Anthony Shackcloth]

09:01 AM on 06/24/2011

That was a great move to rid the new app, i had researched and reviewed it many time prior and now we have some justice.
buy no xplode

[Anybodyseenthepopos]

04:52 AM on 06/24/2011

Maybe if there was a "Operation Cast Lead 2" app you'd all feel it balanced out.

[Konrad Klean]

10:55 AM on 06/24/2011

Oh? Were t hey going to ask some other British colonel to write his assessment from an armchair in Essex to suppress yet another non-flattering report?

[Konrad Klean]

11:44 PM on 06/23/2011

The article forgets to mention that the nature of the violence in those clashes along the Syrian border was the Israeli Defense Forces firing on unarmed civilians. Its nice to see that Apple, that gem of integrity and liberalism, has become yet another mouthpiece for the Knesset.

[FreedomBeforeSecurity]

11:38 PM on 06/23/2011

An this is why the Apple apps model is fundamentally flawed. Inevitable Apple is placed into the unenviable position of morality police, which inevitably leads to feelings of resentment towards Apple, and its products.

Apple should open up their iphone/pads to 3rd party applications, and just tell end users that they're on their own if they get a virus, or loose personal information as a result.

[BigJohnfromMN]

02:18 PM on 06/24/2011

Not from me - I have a Apple computer and my grandson has an Ipad - Set it up so he can't run Navigator on the ipad - he runs apps only and I don't have to police him - Steve Job's does it for me!

You want hate speech and porn - don't use an app, use a browser - there is plenty on the web!

[altohone]

11:28 PM on 06/23/2011

This is why proprietary networks are bad for the world. Apple is abusing its position. Taking sides using specious arguments makes it even worse.

[oakandbay]

03:48 AM on 06/24/2011

Absolutely. 'Someone' in Apple is anti-Israel and is using their position, knowledge, and expertise to flaunt their position, circulate it, and encourage it. Seems like Apple has morphed into a hate-group.

[Passenger57]

11:12 PM on 06/23/2011

Just make a pro-Israel app and call it a day...

[Konrad Klean]

11:56 PM on 06/23/2011

That would be the reasonable thing to do. However it appears that Israelis are too busy trying to discredit Palestinians' as "blood thirsty murderous thugs". I'm not even kidding, a few weeks ago when Egypt opened its borders and the article pertaining the move hit HP that was the type of statements made.

This is just another step towards cleansing Gaza over anyone's dead body.

[Passenger57]

09:01 AM on 06/25/2011

It'll never end...

[Harrison Meeske]

10:10 PM on 06/23/2011

in other words Israel again prevents Americans from saying anything about Israel unless it is approved by the Israeli propoganda office.......heaven forbid an American can get both sides of a story without Israels approval

[Cyrus Trance]

11:20 PM on 06/23/2011

I seriously doubt this app gave you both sides of the story and if you want both sides of the story read a book.

[Cyrus Trance]

11:25 PM on 06/23/2011

I'm sure that pro Palestinian app was fair and balanced.

[Konrad Klean]

12:00 AM on 06/24/2011

Just like Israeli and Zionist websites are?

Hold on...yeah, I recall the article regarding Anthony Weiner marrying Huma Abedin. The U.S.A. Based pro-Zion site was filled with comments suggesting that Ms. Abedin is just Hillary's lesbian lover, that Weiner isn't a Jew because his mother wasn't, that he betrayed Israel by marrying a Saudi spy...and so on and so forth...

Pure, unadulterated detritus.

Plus heck, this site forgot to mention that the violence at the Syrian border was IDF firing on unarmed civilians. Now, Jerusalem Post has been saying the protesters threw molotov cocktails and rocks but that's something they haven't been able to yet prove with a video feed detailing all those landmines exploding from rocks hitting them.

...Interesting.

[snurps]

10:06 PM on 06/23/2011

I wonder if there was any proof that this app PROMOTED violence in any way. Being offensive to a large group of people seems live a very generalized statement.