Whatever the plan, Facebook is likely feeling pressure to cooperate. Although monitoring pro-violence posts would be consistent with its more aggressive anti-terrorism stance in recent times, it also has to worry about proposed Israeli legislation that would force social services to censor pro-violence content themselves. The country might well be depending on that anxiety to have Facebook take voluntary action.

The alliance won't please digital rights advocates, who see it as a fast track to censorship. Just what constitutes inciting violence in a case like this -- will Facebook only block explicit calls for death and destruction, or will it be asked to silence anyone who objects to an Israeli presence in disputed areas? And needless to say, many Palestinians will argue that it's the Israeli presence that's at fault. They'd see agitation on Facebook as the symptom, not the cause. Regardless of the exact circumstances, Facebook may not have much of a choice.