From the Liveblog of
Sunday, September 10, 2023
Netanyahu demands probe of tweet depicting IDF general as Hitler
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demands an investigation into a now-deleted post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter, showing the head of the military’s Central Command photoshopped to depict him dressed in Nazi uniform and with a mustache.
“Netanyahu demands an investigation into the tweet published against Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fox,” the Prime Minister’s Office says in a statement. “Netanyahu condemns the incitement and gives full support to the IDF commanders,” the PMO adds.
אחד המאפיינים המרכזיים של חשבונות זרים הוא העתקת תוכן. אותו דבר קרה גם הפעם. אבל פרופילים זרים לא סתם מצייצים דברים. הם מתלבשים על שיח קיים. העובדה שחשבון זר הציג את יהודה פוקס כנאצי רק מלמדת שהם רואים בהשתלחות בו הזדמנות להעמיק את הקיטוב בישראל. pic.twitter.com/VH99Y8Cpst
— פייק ריפורטר | FakeReporter (@FakeReporter) September 10, 2023
The post was published by an account believed to be part of a foreign disinformation campaign, according to Fake Reporter, an Israeli organization that investigates online fake news.
“Yehuda Fox is a tyrant dictator who uses dictatorial measures to silence those who publish criticism against him,” the text of the post read, copying word for word from a post by a settler activist last week.
Settler activists have held Fox responsible for the recent wave of terror attacks, accusing him of not cracking down on Palestinians. The criticism has also been echoed by several right-wing politicians in the coalition.
Fake Reporter says one of the “main features” of foreign disinformation campaigns is copying content.
“The same thing happened this time. Foreign profiles don’t just tweet things, they latch on to the existing discourse. The fact that a foreign account presented Yehuda Fox as a Nazi only shows that they see attacks against him as an opportunity to deepen polarization in Israel,” the organization says.
