'PATHETIC BULLYING' -- Israeli Contractors Targeting Americans Exercising Their Free Speech Rights

"Unfortunately, what has been reported thus far could just be the tip of the iceberg."

SMOTHERING DISSENT: Israel's Propaganda Campaign To Silence Critics & Manipulate Public Opinion

By Owen Jones
(7/18/24)

Journalist Lee Fang has exposed some shocking revelations about Israel's campaign to silence critics and shape Western discourse in its favour. He tells me the shocking truth.

31-minute video

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Groups Demand Probe Of Secret Israeli Influence Operations Targeting Americans

"Unfortunately, what has been reported thus far could just be the tip of the iceberg."

By Jessica Corbett
Common Dreams (7/24/24)

Over two dozen organizations on Wednesday demanded that the Biden administration launch a multi-agency investigation into recent reporting that "the Israeli government is engaging in illicit social media influence operations targeting U.S. elected officials and U.S. civil society."

Pointing to June reports by The New York Times, Haaretz, and The Guardian, the groups—including the Center for International Policy, CodePink, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN), National Iranian American Council (NIAC), U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) Action, and Win Without War—wrote to President Joe Biden and the departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and State.

As Israel began waging war on the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the Hamas-led October 7 attack, the country's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs "allocated about $2 million to the operation and hired Stoic, a political marketing firm in Tel Aviv, to carry it out," the Times reported June 5, citing related documents and unnamed Israeli officials.

Although the Israeli ministry denied involvement in the campaign and Stoic didn't respond to requests for comment, the newspaper noted that "at its peak, it used hundreds of fake accounts that posed as real Americans on X, Facebook, and Instagram to post pro-Israel comments. The accounts focused on U.S. lawmakers, particularly ones who are Black and Democrats."

‘Mass consciousness activities’

As The Guardian reported on June 24, "That effort is only one of many such campaigns coordinated by the ministry."

The newspaper detailed "a sprawling relaunch of a controversial Israeli government program initially known as Kela Shlomo, designed to carry out what Israel called 'mass consciousness activities' targeted largely at the U.S. and Europe."

"Concert, now known as Voices of Israel, previously worked with groups spearheading a campaign to pass so-called 'anti-BDS' state laws that penalize Americans for engaging in boycotts or other nonviolent protests of Israel," The Guardian explained, referring to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

"Its latest incarnation is part of a hardline and sometimes covert operation by the Israeli government to strike back at student protests, human rights organizations, and other voices of dissent," according to the newspaper. "Voices' latest activities were conducted through nonprofits and other entities that often do not disclose donor information."

"The administration must work to defend our democracy fully, and ensure that no foreign state has a green light to inappropriately target American citizens or manipulate our democratic process."

The coalition calling on Biden to launch an investigation wrote that "it is incumbent on our government to protect its citizens from efforts by foreign governments to inappropriately interfere in our democratic process by spreading disinformation, targeting U.S. elected officials, and seeking to intimidate members of U.S. civil society."

Official hypocrisy

Highlighting previous action "to punish and deter such nefarious behavior" by Russian firms, the groups argued that "as an administration that has defined itself as defenders of American democracy against threats from both domestic and foreign state actors, the news of the Israeli government's attacks on our democracy must be addressed."

NIAC president Jamal Abdi said, "What this letter asks for is very simple: that President Biden and his administration treat reports of inappropriate Israeli influence operations with the same seriousness that it has allegations of Russian and Iranian influence campaigns."

"Unfortunately, what has been reported thus far could just be the tip of the iceberg," he continued. "The administration must work to defend our democracy fully, and ensure that no foreign state has a green light to inappropriately target American citizens or manipulate our democratic process."

The U.S. government has provided weapons and diplomatic support for Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed at least 39,145 Palestinians and injured another 90,257, according to local officials, and is the subject of an International Court of Justice genocide case. [186,000 likely casualties from US/Israel genocide in Gaza.]

"The United States has failed to protect Palestinian communities, putting them at risk of harm to continue emboldening Israel," USCPR Action policy manager Mohammed Khader said Wednesday. "As the Israeli government and its foreign agents attempt to undermine our collective efforts on Palestinian rights, we strongly urge for the federal government to impose sanctions to hold Israeli officials and institutions accountable for violating the law."

Foreign interference

In addition to the reported covert operations, there have been overt actions by Israel's leaders. As Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Wednesday endorsed former U.S. President Donald Trump for the November election, saying that he believes the Republican "will receive the backing to act against Iran," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited to address a joint session of Congress, despite protests from American lawmakers.

Trump, Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris—now the presumed Democratic nominee for the November election—are all set to separately meet with Netanyahu while he is visiting the United States. [That meeting did take place.]

"It's time for the Biden administration to end its policy of exceptionalism towards Israel and hold all nations to the same standards," declared DAWN advocacy director Raed Jarrar. "The administration must take decisive action to protect our democracy from all forms of foreign interference."

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Demanding Low-Wage Workers Be Fired For Online Postings

By Glenn Greenwald
System Update &/19/24)

18-minute video

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SENATOR ‘HOODY BULLY” — John Fetterman Has Constituent THROWN OUT Of Bar For Daring To Ask About Gaza Ceasefire

By Katie Halper
Katie Halper Show

Dan Kovalik explains an interaction he had with Senator John Fetterman, asking him to support a ceasefire in Gaza.

16-minute video

Censored & Harassed Palestinian Comedian EXPOSES Israel Apologists

By Katie Harper
Katie Halper Show (10/23/28}

Comedian Atheer Yacoub talks about her Palestinian heritage and the satire she is making to combat colonialism and racism. Atheer has a half-hour special on Comedy Central Arabia and has been featured on AXSTV's Gotham Comedy Live. She has written for the Emmy award-winning channel BRIC TV on The Breakdown and Passport Control. She's also the co-creator of the sketch comedy show Muslim Girls DTF: Discuss Their Faith, which won many awards including Series Fest Best Independent Comedy Writing. She has been featured in numerous comedy festivals and tours domestically and internationally.

12-minute video