The Antisemitism Research Center (ARC), part of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), found that just one hour after the attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, antisemitic conspiracy theories had already begun spreading on the X social media platform, claiming the incident was a “false flag” operation staged by Israel.
The first post documented by the center appeared just 67 minutes after the aircraft transmitted its initial distress signal. Similar false conspiracy theories have circulated online about the September 11 attacks.
Within just five hours of the incident, the research center documented 1,000 hostile posts. Over a 12-hour monitoring period, the study identified 2,963 separate posts attributing the incident to Israel, the Mossad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Zionists or Jews.
The analysis by the Antisemitism Research Center shows how quickly the false narrative spread until it came to dominate discussion of the incident on X. Researchers at the center said the speed with which the allegations were circulated demonstrated that this was not a narrative developing in response to factual information about the event, but rather a “prewritten script” waiting to be pulled off the shelf and reused at every opportunity.
The report also points to close similarities between this pattern and influence operations conducted by hostile states, particularly Russia, with the aim of destabilizing Western societies: exploiting breaking news events, sowing social division and portraying Israel and Jews as the “hidden hand” behind them.
Anti-Zionist influencer Jackson Hinkle spreads conspiracy theory that it is a Netanyahu plot
(Photo: From X)
“The dizzying speed at which the antisemitic conspiracy theory was spread proves that this was not a spontaneous response to the event, but rather what appears to be a prewritten script waiting on the shelf for the right opportunity. It took online agitators just 67 minutes to turn a serious terrorist attempt to hijack a civilian passenger plane into a conspiratorial accusation against Israel and the Jews," said Sacha Roytman, CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement.
“Antisemitism has become the automatic explanation mechanism for every emergency event in the world, and the platforms must take immediate responsibility and stop this spread,” he added.