War on Memory: Namecheap Deplatforms Genocide.live

It has been over two years since Israel began the mass-extermination phase of its genocide. For more than two years, the world has watched as Israel has systematically destroyed the Gaza Strip and massacred Palestinians in Gaza.

The sheer volume of information that has been coming out of the Gaza genocide has enabled human rights advocates, governments, and global media to have an unprecedented view into the scope and nature of Israeli atrocities. However, those same institutions were not prepared to preserve and process this vital evidence at such a never-before-seen scale.

Databases for Palestine was founded with one mission - to help ensure that the memory of what Palestinians have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of Israel is preserved, so that the world does not forget — so that those responsible can be held accountable. We build memory, so one day there might be justice.

This past week, that mission was abruptly halted when a company that has provided services to Databases for Palestine without issue decided to de-platform us.

Namecheap told Databases for Palestine that our work was in violation of their policy, citing a rule against hosting websites that display violent content. There was an earlier email (that we did not see until after the de-platform due to the holiday) giving us 48 hours until Namecheap would seize our domain name. There was no option to appeal or explain.

We will be the first to admit that most of the digital evidence we have preserved is shocking and violent - that is the inherent nature of genocide, the crime of crimes. However, for Namecheap to enforce this policy against us without warning, without discussion, and without consideration for the context in and reasons for which we do it is beyond negligent.