Since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza, the European Union has struggled to present a unified stance on the conflict and the urgent need for a ceasefire. Nations like Germany and France have openly extended media, economic, and military support to Israel, refraining from public criticism of its policies. Meanwhile, countries such as Ireland, Sweden, and Spain have condemned Israel's human rights violations, advocating for Palestinian rights and supporting ceasefire initiatives.
Since the war's outbreak, both official and unofficial Israeli entities, along with lobbying groups, have launched a multifaceted media campaign promoting a misleading narrative suggesting that Europe broadly supports Israel or should feel obligated to do so. At the same time, other efforts have aimed to undermine the positions of European nations that advocate for Palestinian rights. These groups have also pressured countries to reconsider their stances in light of escalating Israeli violence, portraying calls for a ceasefire and support for Palestinians as serving Hamas and endorsing its agenda.
In this report, Misbar reviews part of the media campaign led by various Israeli accounts since the war began. The campaign seeks to distort facts and apply pressure on pro-Palestinian nations in ways that align with Israel’s interests. By scrutinizing these tactics, Misbar aims to shed light on the broader implications of this disinformation strategy and its impact on international discourse surrounding the war.
Spain Targeted by Widespread Media Campaign
Since the onset of the war on Gaza, Spain has consistently advocated for a ceasefire and strongly criticized Israel's policies and its violence against civilians. In May 2024, Spain, alongside Ireland and Norway, took a significant step by officially recognizing the Palestinian state.
In October 2023, Spanish Minister of Equality Irene Montero emphasized the urgent need to impose sanctions on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and advocated severing diplomatic ties with Israel. Montero asserted, "We have a responsibility not to be complicit in the planned genocide that the State of Israel is committing. We need to stop Netanyahu." This strong rhetoric, combined with a series of official Spanish positions, prompted an intense media campaign and pressure from Israeli entities to dissuade Spain from its stance. Additionally, a targeted social media campaign emerged, seeking to distort Spain's position and misrepresent the facts surrounding the war.
While Spain’s constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the right to organize political events, allowing citizens to protest and voice their opinions, the social media campaign aimed to depict the Spanish government as complicit in fostering hate speech and terrorism. This Israeli campaign sought to frame the pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Spain as an endorsement of terrorism, distorting the nature of the protests and undermining the legitimate expression of solidarity with Palestinian rights.
Spain’s Opposition to Israel: An ‘Outlier’ in Europe’s Political Landscape
Recently, Israeli accounts have led a widespread criticism campaign against Spain for allowing events organized by the Palestinian union and student movement known as the “Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement.” This group has actively hosted political events in the Spanish capital, prompting a backlash from Israeli supporters.
In an article published on October 1, Masha Gabriel, director of ReVista de Medio Oriente—the Spanish-language division of the pro-Israel lobbying group CAMERA—called on the Spanish government to prohibit pro-Palestine demonstrations planned for the first anniversary of the Gaza war. Gabriel argued that these demonstrations would endorse Hamas attacks from October 2023 and support Palestinian organizations labeled as "terrorists," including the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
In her remarks regarding these events, Gabriel characterized Spain's allowance for Palestinians to express their views as a departure from the positions of other European nations. She warned that Spain risks becoming an outlier if it fails to take decisive action against these demonstrations.
The article depicted the Spanish government as hostile toward Israel and sought to discredit Spanish media outlets that had prominently criticized Israel's policies and its violent military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
The article employed deceptive propaganda language, claiming that Spain aligned itself with extremist Islamists and terrorists instead of supporting the "only democracy in the Middle East," referring to Israel. This narrative is part of a larger campaign designed to undermine Spain's pro-Palestinian stance, framing it as a betrayal of democratic values and an endorsement of violence and terrorism.
The article's portrayal of the Palestinian side as less "civilized" aligns with the official Israeli narrative that emerged at the onset of the war on Gaza, spearheaded by Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Netanyahu. This narrative aims to rationalize violence against Palestinians and frame them in the eyes of Western public opinion as less progressive and more prone to extremism.
It is important to highlight that a prior Misbar report uncovered CAMERA's influence in shaping public opinion and media coverage, which frequently lacks accuracy and is biased in favor of Israel. This revelation sheds light on the ongoing challenges in presenting an impartial narrative regarding the Israeli-Palestinian war and the impact of organized lobbying on media representation.
Spain: A ‘Hotbed of Hatred’ for Embracing Pro-Palestinian Protests
In a similar vein, official Israeli accounts, including the Israel Foreign Ministry, have asserted that Spain's allowance of pro-Palestinian protests would turn the country into a "paradise to sow hatred." This accusation is part of a broader narrative suggesting that these protests glorify terrorism, a claim that is inaccurate for several reasons. Notably, individuals who raise illegal slogans during demonstrations should be held accountable on a case-by-case basis, without infringing on the rights of larger groups to express their views and protest peacefully. This distinction is crucial for understanding the complexities of free speech and the right to protest in a democratic society.
Corrections To Israeli Posts Disappear Without Explanation
Following a post from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the "Community Notes" feature on the X platform intervened to include a corrective note, emphasizing that Spanish law protects freedom of expression and that there is no evidence linking the organizations mentioned by the Israeli Ministry to terrorism. However, this note either vanished or was deleted for reasons that remain unclear, even though Misbar has preserved a copy.
It is important to recognize that this tactic is not new; Misbar has previously documented numerous instances where Community Notes on X have disappeared from posts that criticized misleading content or propagated false claims in favor of Israel. This pattern raises concerns about the reliability of online platforms in fostering open discourse and highlights the challenges faced by those seeking to present accurate information amid the complexities of the war.
Demand for War and Arms Halt Sparks Intense Propaganda Blitz
Since the onset of the war, France has aligned itself with Israel, with President Emmanuel Macron emphasizing the need to distinguish between civilians in Gaza and Hamas. However, France's position has recently evolved, as indicated by official statements revealing an intention to bolster efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in both Gaza and Lebanon, highlighted by Macron's call to halt the flow of arms to Israel.
France's initiative faced manipulation and an extensive smear campaign by Israeli accounts, which sought to frame it as an effort to rescue Hamas. This campaign featured numerous satirical posts and misleading AI-generated images, even labeling Macron a Nazi. The underlying message promoted by this campaign was that a ceasefire would ultimately benefit Hamas. The objective was to distort France's narrative and pressure European officials from expressing any criticism of Israeli policies, highlighting the intense battle over public perception during this turbulent time.
The campaign intensified after a critical statement made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 5, when he directly addressed Macron, saying, "Shame on you," in response to Macron's proposal to halt arms supplies to Israel. In the wake of this confrontation, accounts disseminating misleading posts amplified the Israeli narrative, generating a public backlash against efforts to curb the violence.
Ireland and European Allies Face a Torrent of Defamation Campaigns for Their Stances
Since the onset of the war on Gaza, Ireland has maintained a firm position in criticizing Israeli policies. In October 2023, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar publicly stated that Israel was engaging in collective punishment in Gaza. Later, in December 2023, Ireland took a proactive role in advocating for a fair and unified European stance on Palestine during the Brussels summit. However, this principled stance has not gone unnoticed; Ireland and other European nations have faced targeted defamation campaigns aimed at undermining their positions and framing their advocacy for Palestinian rights as extreme.
Ireland has underscored the importance of avoiding double standards in addressing the war on Gaza, arguing that such practices would compromise the credibility of EU member states. The country has consistently urged European leaders to respond thoughtfully to the suffering of Palestinians, frequently advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza. Ireland's calls reflect a commitment to justice and human rights, reinforcing the need for a unified and principled European approach to the ongoing crisis.
Ireland Labeled a Hamas Ally for Criticizing Israeli Actions
In December 2023, Israel arrested a group of individuals in Gaza, displaying them naked and blindfolded in a humiliating manner, claiming they were 100 Hamas fighters apprehended after emerging from tunnels in northern Gaza. However, an investigation by Misbar revealed that several of the identified individuals were, in fact, civilians.
On December 14, Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee shared footage, claiming it depicted "the surrender of more than 70 Hamas forces in the area of Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza." However, Misbar highlighted inconsistencies in the Israeli narrative, revealing that some of those identified in the footage were also civilians.
The images of individuals being paraded naked were profoundly shocking and elicited global sympathy. In Ireland, multiple protests were organized, including those by individuals and groups associated with the Irish Communist Party, which issued a statement supporting Palestine in November 2023. These protests aimed to expose Israel's degrading treatment of detainees through reenactments of those practices. In response, pro-Israel social media campaigns attempted to silence these voices by repeatedly asserting that the protesters were affiliated with Hamas and that their demonstrations endorsed terrorism.
Similar to actions taken in other European countries, several lobbying organizations targeted pro-Palestinian protests with false claims, conflating slogans opposing Zionism with anti-Semitic rhetoric.
This social media campaign continued throughout the past year, featuring widespread posts and the hashtag #HamasIreland, which sought to directly link the country’s name to Hamas. Following Ireland's recognition of the Palestinian state on May 28, Israel's Foreign Minister publicly claimed that this recognition was an attempt to reward terrorism. This rhetoric illustrates ongoing efforts to delegitimize Ireland's position and frame its actions as supportive of extremist groups.
Islamophobia: A Weaponized Specter Twisting the Truth
Pro-Israel accounts have sought to sway Western public opinion away from supporting Palestinians and to reinforce the official Israeli narrative in misleading ways. One of the primary strategies has been to exploit fear and anxiety within Western public opinion by leveraging Islamophobia and the wave of anti-immigrant sentiment in Europe. This approach aims to depict support for Palestinians as synonymous with endorsing violence and terrorism, framing it as a factor contributing to the escalating migration crisis.
The campaign relied on misleading videos and occasionally isolated incidents of violence—sometimes involving migrants or unidentified individuals—which were amplified to create a distorted portrayal of Muslims, Palestinians, and their supporters in Europe. By linking these incidents to pro-Palestinian advocacy without providing proper context, the campaign aimed to foster negative perceptions and reinforce stereotypes, further complicating the already fraught discourse surrounding the war and its impact on public opinion.
Leading this campaign were prominent accounts, including that of Dr. Eli David, who actively disseminated false claims and misleading videos, strategically timed to coincide with significant political events advocating for the Palestinian cause.
For instance, when European countries such as Belgium, France, Ireland, and Spain voted in favor of a U.N. resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, David’s account shared a misleading video. The video depicted a large boulder inscribed with the phrase "There is no god but Allah," representing Muslims, rolling toward another boulder adorned with the European Union flag. Positioned between them was a boulder featuring the Israeli flag, attempting to block the first from reaching Europe. This video aimed to reinforce the narrative that Israel serves as a protective shield against the so-called "Islamic threat," casting Palestinians and Muslims as existential dangers and justifying violence against them.
This form of media manipulation embodies a deliberate strategy to associate the Palestinian struggle and its support with inciting fear of Muslims and immigration. The aim is to distort the portrayal of pro-Palestinian demonstrations and divert attention from the core humanitarian and political issues, particularly the suffering of civilians in Gaza. The danger of these campaigns extends beyond mere distortion of facts; they exacerbate social divisions and exploit them for political gain, further complicating an already charged discourse surrounding the war.
Far-right platforms like RadioGenoa also spearheaded promotional campaigns echoing similar claims, exploiting Islamophobic sentiments to depict pro-Palestinian demonstrations as violent. These outlets employed racist terminology and misleading stereotypes about Muslims and Palestinians, asserting that violence is somehow ingrained in their DNA. They further suggested a conspiracy orchestrated by the European left in collaboration with Muslims to seize control of Europe, allegedly evidenced by the very existence of pro-Palestinian protests. This narrative not only misrepresents the protests but also deepens societal divisions and fosters an atmosphere of fear and suspicion.
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