Following recent explosions involving communication devices in Lebanon, social media has been rife with claims that Motorola, a leading telecommunications company, manufactured the pagers involved in the attack. However, officials and credible media outlets have clarified that the company supplying Hezbollah with pagers was Gold Apollo, not Motorola.
Recent Explosions of Pagers and Walkie-Talkies in Lebanon
At least 37 people, including two children, were killed, and thousands more were injured after communication devices, some reportedly used by Hezbollah, exploded across Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the latest series of blasts on Wednesday, walkie-talkies detonated, killing 20 people and injuring at least 450, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
These explosions occurred near a large crowd attending the funerals of four victims from Tuesday’s pager explosions, which left at least 12 dead and nearly 3,000 injured. Hezbollah has accused Israel of orchestrating the attacks and vowed retaliation, citing a significant security breach that underscores Israel’s intelligence capabilities.
The explosions, which have already strained regional tensions amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, could further escalate the situation in the Middle East. CNN reported that the blasts were part of a coordinated operation involving Mossad and the Israeli military. While the Israeli military has not commented, both Lebanon and Hezbollah blamed Israel for the attacks.
Israel declared that a "new era" of war had begun on Wednesday, implicitly acknowledging its involvement in the twin attacks targeting Lebanon.
Were the Exploding Pagers Made by U.S. Company Motorola?
After the explosion of pagers in Lebanon, social media users and various media outlets widely claimed that the pagers, which targeted Hezbollah members and other citizens, were manufactured by the U.S. company Motorola.
Moreover, an Iranian lawmaker, without providing evidence, has called for an immediate halt to the import of Motorola equipment into Iran, citing concerns over the company's alleged involvement in a deadly espionage incident in Lebanon.
Furthermore, social media users have circulated several old photos of Motorola pagers alongside news of the recent attack in Lebanon, further fueling speculation and misinformation about the company's involvement.
The Exploding Pagers in Lebanon Were Not Manufactured by Motorola
After a thorough investigation of various photos shared online following the pager explosions, Misbar's team found that Motorola has no connection to the recent incidents involving the exploding pagers.
Based on the markings in the images provided, the pagers that recently exploded in Lebanon were identified as Apollo Gold "AR-924" rugged pagers.
Controversy Deepens Over the Origin of Exploding Pagers
Images of the destroyed pagers revealed a format consistent with devices produced by Taiwan's Gold Apollo. However, the Taiwanese company distanced itself from the devices. On Wednesday, Gold Apollo stated that the model targeted in the attack had been manufactured by B.A.C. Consulting, a company with a Hungarian address, under a licensing agreement.
"The product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it," Gold Apollo founder and president, Hsu Ching-kuang, told reporters at the company's offices in the northern Taiwanese city of New Taipei on Wednesday.
In a statement, the company said that the AR-924 model was produced and sold by BAC.
Gold Apollo authorized "BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in specific regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are entirely handled by BAC," the statement said.
Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, CEO of BAC Consulting, told NBC News her company worked with Gold Apollo but had no involvement in manufacturing the pagers, claiming she was only an intermediary.
According to Reuters, Hungarian news site Telex reported that the sale was facilitated by Norta Global Ltd. The company's Bulgarian headquarters are registered at an apartment building in Sofia, which houses nearly 200 companies.
Norta Global’s website was altered on Thursday, removing its content, which had previously advertised consulting, technology integration, and outsourcing services.
Motorola: A Key Ally for Israeli Military
Motorola plays a significant role in supplying Israel with military tools that support its occupation and oppression of Palestinians. These include fuses for bombs and missiles, encrypted military communication systems, portable units for battlefield deployment, advanced radar and thermal surveillance systems for settlements, metal detectors at checkpoints, and a cellular network designed for the settlements.
In January 2014, Israeli military signed a $100 million contract with Motorola to produce the next generation of military cellular devices.
In 2020, the U.N. Human Rights Office released a report listing companies linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including Motorola Solutions.
In 1996, Motorola was reportedly linked to aiding Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, in the assassination of Yahya Ayyash, a key Hamas bombmaker. Ayyash was killed by explosives planted in a Motorola Alpha mobile phone, which had been brought into Gaza by a Palestinian collaborator. Shin Bet tricked Ayyash into using the phone by arranging a call from his father, leading to the detonation that killed him.
Israeli Military’s AI Tools Risk Civilian Harm in Gaza
On September 10, Human Rights Watch raised concerns over the Israeli military's use of surveillance technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), and other digital tools in Gaza, warning that they may increase the risk of civilian harm. These technologies raise serious ethical, legal, and humanitarian issues.
The Israeli military is reportedly using four key digital tools to estimate civilian presence in areas prior to attacks, notify soldiers when to strike, and determine whether individuals or structures are civilian or military. Human Rights Watch found that these tools rely on faulty data and imprecise estimations, potentially violating Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction and precaution.
Since October 7, Israel's aggressive war on Gaza has resulted in at least 41,272 deaths and 95,551 injuries.
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