Bassem Youssef denies X account deletion over Pro-Palestine posts
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Bassem Youssef, the renowned Egyptian satirist, recently addressed the sudden disappearance of his account on X, denying that the platform had deleted it. The incident sparked widespread speculation among his 11.7 million followers, with many believing the removal was linked to his recent pro-Palestinian posts.
In a post on his official Instagram and Facebook accounts, Youssef clarified, “1.No, my X account wasn’t taken down by X and I don’t wish to falsely victimize myself using this. 2. When safety issues concerning my loved ones are alleviated I might consider coming back. 3. I wish to deal with this away from media. 4.I will still be posting my content on tik tok Insta and FB.”
The disappearance of Youssef’s account on X occurred shortly after he published a post supporting Palestinians and criticizing Israel. Followers were quick to link the disappearance to his outspoken stance, particularly after he posted a message urging people not to fear the Zionists.
In response to the disappearance of his X account, several accounts bearing Youssef’s name and profile picture began appearing. However, Youssef, who holds US citizenship, confirmed via Facebook that he remains unsure if and when his X account will be restored. He warned that any account currently claiming to represent him on X is fake and reiterated his intention to refrain from issuing press statements or conducting media interviews at this time.
In a subsequent Facebook post, Youssef mocked the reaction to his account’s disappearance, attaching a screenshot of a tweet from an official Israeli account celebrating the deletion. He questioned, “How fragile and childish are these people?”
Earlier, Youssef had written a post criticizing the weaponization of antisemitism by Zionists.
Since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza, Youssef has been vocal in his support for Palestinians and his criticism of Israel on various global platforms. Notably, his appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” on October 27, 2023, where he satirically criticized Israeli attacks on Gaza, garnered 22 million views on YouTube, making it the most-watched episode, according to Morgan. Youssef returned to the show on November 28, 2023, to discuss the history of the Palestinian cause and highlight the suffering of Gaza’s residents, drawing over 11 million views.
In another notable appearance, Youssef spoke with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on April 6, where he condemned the world’s indifference to Israeli massacres in Gaza.
Youssef’s criticism extended to Elon Musk, the owner of X, particularly after Musk reposted false claims from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, aligning with the same hostile stance against pro-Palestinian student protests in US universities. In an April 25 tweet, Youssef lambasted Musk for spreading lies and siding with Netanyahu’s rhetoric, which likened the protests to anti-Jewish demonstrations in 1930s Germany.
