The Jacket Worn by Al-Golani Is Not Made by an Israeli Company
The Claim
“Syrian revolutionary” leader Mohammed Al Jolani, wearing Israeli tactical gear.
News posted on
Emerging story
After the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, caused by Syrian opposition forces, social media users shared claims that al-Golani, leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was wearing Israeli tactical gear. Users suggested this implied a connection between al-Golani and Israel.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be fake, as the garment worn by al-Golani is made by a company based in China.
Emersongear Clothing Worn by Al-Golani Is Not Israeli-Made
The picture of al-Golani was first uploaded online on December 10 and shows the leader of the HTS overlooking the city of Damascus. When zooming into the image, the name of the clothing manufacturer, Emersongear, is visible.
Users are spreading claims that this company is Israeli. However, this is false. Emersongear is based in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province in southern China. According to its website, the company opened its own factory in 2006 in Dongguan, another city in Guangdong province.
A Google search revealed that 'Israel' is mentioned only four times on the company’s website, and always in reference to other garment suppliers, namely Troops Military Supply and SOURCE Tactical Gear. The latter company, referenced in some social media posts, is indeed based in Israel.
However, it produces its own line of garments with a distinct logo, different from Emersongear’s.
Who Is Al-Golani?
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), is widely known for leading the offensive that caused the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
Born in 1982 in Saudi Arabia, he lived in Syria from 1989 to 2003 before moving to Iraq to join al-Qaeda in its fight against the U.S. invasion that same year. Arrested by U.S. forces in 2006, al-Golani was later released and tasked with establishing al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch, al-Nusra Front.
Between 2016 and 2017, the group transitioned into Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, distancing itself from al-Qaeda’s goal of a global caliphate encompassing all Muslim-majority countries. Despite this, HTS is still designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, Turkey, the U.S., and the European Union.
Read More
This Video Does Not Depict a Prisoner at Sednaya Prison
Audio Message Claiming Bashar Al-Assad Resigned as Syria's President Is Fake
