The aftermath of the October 7 terror attacks saw a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents across the globe. In addition to shocking acts of real-life violence, online harassment and conspiracy theories also surged in response to the attacks and the subsequent Israel-Hamas war.
Antisemitic fake news reared its ugly head once again following last week’s attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump. After the attack, in which Trump was slightly injured, one rallygoer was killed, and two others were seriously injured, online conspiracy theorists have baselessly claimed that the would-be assassin was Jewish or connected to Israel.
“There has been a surge in antisemitic content following the assassination attempt,” Daniel Elya, head of research at the cybersecurity company Brinker, told The Media Line. “Narratives have emerged spreading disinformation, such as claims that [shooter Thomas Matthew] Crooks is Jewish or that Jews are accusing Iran of perpetrating the attempt to cover up a Zionist plan. Another significant disinformation campaign has been identified, suggesting the attempt was staged.”
“Prominent figures from extremist groups and alt-right personalities propagated these theories, suggesting the attack was orchestrated to remove Trump from his political position,” he continued.
He said that conspiracy theories of this sort are most notably being spread on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“There is a linkage between the current surge in disinformation regarding the Trump assassination attempt and the war in Gaza, as conspiracy theories suggest that Trump is not beneficial to Zionist aspirations in that piece of land, for example, creating a reason for them to think that this is why Israel/Zionists have perpetrated an assassination attempt,” Elya said.
Sivanne Shalev, director of emerging trends and misinformation at the internet safety company ActiveFence, told The Media Line that her platform has seen an increase in the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories following the assassination attempt.
“Many of the narratives we have seen emerged on more fringe social media platforms such as Telegram, 4chan, Gab, Truth Social, and then spread toward more mainstream platforms, allowing the misinformation narratives to attract a much wider audience, with some narratives attracting more than a million impressions, she said.
Some social media users have made unfounded claims that the shooter was Jewish or that he was part of the radical left or “antifa,” and others claimed that the assassination attempt was ordered by the Biden Administration or the “deep state,” she added.
“The thirst for information and details around crisis events creates a vacuum in which conspiracy theories emerge on fringe platforms,” Shalev said. She added that effective safeguards need to be put in place to counteract misinformation of this sort.
Ashley Perry, adviser to the Combat Antisemitism Movement and former adviser to the Israeli government, said that what distinguishes anti-Israel fake news from other types of fake news is the high level of funding and organization that anti-Israel groups have access to.
He said that people spreading antisemitic lies about the assassination attempt may be funded by special interests or may just personally adhere to antisemitic beliefs.
Some people out there cannot imagine an event like this without the nefarious hand of Jews, and they can come from the fringes of the far right and far left.
“There are simply people out there who cannot imagine an event like this without the nefarious hand of Jews, and they can come from the fringes of the far right and far left,” he said.
Citing the old line that a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes, Perry said that Israel faces an uphill battle in its fight against disinformation.
“Israel has to check every single detail or its credibility will be questioned, whereas its enemies can spread outright lies, be proven false, and still have their credibility largely unquestioned,” he said.
Zvi Reich, an associate professor of communications at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, explained the phenomenon of antisemitic fake news by noting that content of that sort appeals to news consumers with ingrained hatred toward Jews.
“People have an engine of suppressed emotions, and they are seeking confirmation for their bias. I think that the bursts of antisemitism are an outlet for these repressed emotions for many people, especially because nowadays, it’s less acceptable to express hateful, crude emotions,” he told The Media Line.
He said that the appeal of fake news can be amplified by the desire to make sense of the complex realities of modern life.
“At this moment, populist movements from both the right and the left found room to seduce people with narratives that make reality much simpler and linear,” Reich said. “These populist movements, like the spread of fake news, cater to these people who feel they’ve lost their dignity to the complexity of the world.”
- The story is written by Nathan Klabin and reprinted with permission from The Media Line.