Europe: Media spreads conspiracy theories against Jews

Following a major winter storm that caused flooding all over, the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of 'opening up the dams' in order to flood Gaza on purpose.

The accusations are, of course, baseless.  

(article is updated with additional media reports.)

Current situation: 

* Al-Jazeera pulled their story and apologized.  

* Daily Mail updated their story and apologized.    However, the article still brings the Palestinian claims.

* AFP pulled their story, no apology.  Their clips still appears on various news-sites.

* Walla pulled their story, no apology.

* Europe Press, Addressa (NTB), RFI, L'Hebdo, 20 Minutes, RT still headlining their story with  Palestinian accusations.  RT does bring Israeli denials somewhere in the article.

Spain

Spanish media agency Europa Press reported the story as news (h/t ReVista).  "Hundreds of Palestinians flee floods caused by the opening of Israeli dams"

Europa Press did not bother getting the Israeli side, because they couldn't really care less.

Europe Press later added another article saying that Israel denies the accusations and that there's no such dam in southern Israel.  Imagine that.  The original article was not updated.

Europe Press spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

France

AFP posted a clip headlined: "Gaza village floods after Israel opens dam gates".  The clip was picked up by MSN.

AFP interviewed a local resident who claimed that "this is political, all the Jews want is to destroy us".  AFP 'corrected' the resident's words, so it would sound less antisemitic, and translated it as "all Israel wants is to destroy us".

No other information was offered on the topic.

AFP spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

RFI, Radio France International, qualifies its headline just a bit (h/t Rudi).  "Floods in Gaza: the Palestinian authorities accuse Israel"

RFI checked with Israel, but got no comment.

In the article, btw, RFI points out to its readers that Israel is "the Jewish State".  Just in case you didn't know.

RFI spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

20 Minutes published the AFP story as well, with the headline "village flooded by opening of dam" (h/t Rudi).

20 Minutes spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

Norway

Norwegian news agency NTB also came out with the story.  Here on Norwegian news-site Adressa: "Israel accused of causing flood in the Gaza Strip".

Sub-headline: "At least 80 Palestinian families had to evacuate their homes in the Gaza Strip after Israel opened several dams without warning."

The article quotes Al-Jazeera and Palestinian sources, but does not quote any Israeli sources.  They do however refer once to "Israel's alleged opening of the dams".  Thank you.

NTB spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

United Kingdom


The Daily Mail originally posted the story (h/t Rudi) with the headline "Hundreds of Palestinians left homeless after Israel opens river dam and floods houses… hours before Jewish state’s electric company cuts off power in West Bank cities".  The article states that Israel denies the claims.

The headline was later changed to "Hundreds of Palestinians left homeless by heavy flooding after water levels in Gaza Valley rise by up to 10 feet", but the URL still shows the original headline.  The updated article gave Israel's response that there are no dams in Southern Israel so there was nothing to open.

The Daily Mail spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

Russia

RT posted the story with the headline (h/t presspectiva): "Palestine accuses Israel of opening dams, flooding Gaza, forcing evacuations".

The article ends with this little gem:

According to media reports, this is not the first time Israeli authorities have opened the floodgates to their Gaza Valley dams to discharge massive quantities of excessive water that accumulated during heavy rains or snowfall.

The 'media reports' are of course Maan News, the Palestinian news agency that started this libel in the first place.  RT posted as-is, without wondering where those 'Gaza valley dams' are located.

RT spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

Israel

Walla! news site also posted an article spreading the libel (h/t presspectiva).  Their headline: "Dozens of houses in Gaza flooded due to opening of dams in Israel".  Notice that the headline is in quotes.  That is, they're 'only' quoting the other antisemites.

But Walla didn't think the story was good enough, and so they added a twist of their own.  According to Walla's reporters, army officials said they "had to drain the rain water" that accumulated on the border fence due to the stormy weather.

Walla! spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

Switzerland

L'Hebdo put up AFP's clip under the headline "village flooded by opening of dam" (h/t Rudi).  The article explains Israel did it.

L'Hebdo spreading conspiracy theories against Jews

These journalists are inciting to kill Jews!

These European journalists find it easy to accept yet another conspiracy theory against Jews, because it's couched in terms they can relate to.  Israel is evil and is flooding Gaza for no real reason.  Sounds logical, doesn't it?

Can you imagine anybody writing such an article about the claims that shape-shifting Jews committed massacres in Europe?  Neither can I.