Bassem Youssef’s X account deactivated following post about Israel-Gaza war

Egyptian-American comedian Bassem Youssef’s X account has been deactivated, leading to widespread speculation regarding the reason behind its removal. Youssef, known for his sharp political commentary, had recently posted a critique of how the term 'anti-Semitism' is being used as a “fear tactic” to “shut down conversations” concerning Israel's actions in Gaza. Screenshots shared by other X users suggest that this post could have led to the account's suspension.

Youssef’s post, made on August 19, highlighted his concerns about the weaponization of the term, stating, “Anti-Semitism was an accusation that used to freeze the blood on people’s veins. I see many people now realising how this fear tactic is used to shutdown conversations and scare people. It’s been overused and abused in order to intimidate people. Are you still scared to be called an anti-Semite by those Zionists?” The account was deactivated shortly after the post went live.

The deactivation has sparked debate online, with many users criticizing X, formerly known as Twitter, for what they perceive as censorship. Human rights lawyer Qays Sediqi tweeted, “X took down Bassem Youssef’s account because he spoke up for Palestinians,” calling out the platform’s approach to free speech.

Youssef has previously made headlines for his controversial statements, including his satirical take on Israel’s military actions, which went viral last year during an interview with Piers Morgan. In those discussions, Youssef differentiated between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, emphasizing the importance of accurate language use.