TikTok Bans Armed Palestinian Group Lions’ Den, Said Behind Attacks on Israelis, at Israel’s Behest

The popular social media platform TikTok has banned the armed Palestinian group Lions’ Den for what it says are violations of the platform’s guidelines, according to Israeli media reports. Lions’ Den, which has sprung up in recent months, is a group of young, armed Palestinians that has claimed to be behind a spate of shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and troops in the northern West Bank. Local media said that the ban by the Chinese-owned social media giant came at the request of Israel, as it seeks to clamp down on the latest deadly escalation of violence in the West Bank. The group has been using TikTok, which is immensely popular among young people all over the world, to disseminate its message and recruit followers.