French Report: Israeli Accounts Spread "Hostile Narratives" on Riots
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
An internal French Foreign Ministry report revealed that social media accounts linked to Israel and the MAGA movement spread "hostile narratives" about French riots, attributing them to radical Islamism and immigration. These accounts garnered millions of views in mid-October, surpassing pro-Russian posts. A separate EU assessment identified a Russian network, "Operation Overload," exploiting the unrest to blame immigration and portray the French government as weak. While no evidence suggests Russia initiated the riots, both reports highlight foreign actors exploiting internal French turmoil for political purposes.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli and MAGA-linked social media accounts spread "hostile narratives" about French riots, according to a French report.
- Top Israeli posts on the riots received over 35 million views in mid-October, surpassing pro-Russian content.
- A Russian network called "Operation Overload" allegedly exploited the riots to blame immigration and weaken the French government.
- The French and EU reports found no evidence that Russia initiated or escalated the riots.
- President Macron acknowledged foreign information manipulation but not direct intervention behind the protests.
- Disinformation experts see these activities as a "narrative competition" shaping perceptions of Western democracies.
Social media accounts linked to Israel and the American MAGA movement disseminated "hostile narratives" about the recent riots in France, connecting them to radical Islamism and immigration, according to an internal French Foreign Ministry report obtained by Reuters. The report indicated that the top ten most viewed posts by Israeli officials, government accounts, media outlets, and influencers garnered over 35 million views between October 16-18. During the same period, the top ten posts from MAGA-affiliated figures, media, and influencers on X (formerly Twitter) accumulated more than 49 million views. For comparison, similar posts from "pro-Russian circles" received 2.8 million views.
Reuters noted that it could not independently verify the claims in the French and a separate European Union report. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Foreign Ministry did not respond to requests for comment. The riots, which erupted last month across France, were initially protests against the rising cost of living and deteriorating public services that escalated into widespread violence, some of the worst in decades.
The EU assessment suggested a covert Russian network, dubbed "Operation Overload," attempted to exploit the riots by blaming them on uncontrolled immigration and portraying the French government as having lost control. This network allegedly disseminated videos disguised as Western media reports, including false claims of immigrants committing assaults and impending terror attacks. The Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to Reuters' request for comment. In August, spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed prior French accusations of disinformation as an attempt to influence public opinion.
The EU document, prepared by disinformation experts for limited distribution and covering October 7-21, stated that Russia aimed to portray French leadership as weak and increasingly authoritarian. It described the activity as an "opportunistic exploitation of the riots" rather than evidence of Moscow initiating or escalating the protests. French officials, when asked about the findings, referred Reuters to a statement by President Emmanuel Macron on October 21, who acknowledged foreign information manipulation but saw no evidence of foreign intervention behind the protests.
European disinformation experts believe these reports highlight how external actors leverage internal turmoil for political gain. Alina Trieger, a senior researcher at RAND Corporation, described these campaigns as part of an ongoing "narrative competition" that can shape perceptions of Western democracies. She noted that they fuel anti-immigration sentiment, pushing voters toward political extremes. The EU report detailed "Operation Overload" as active since September 2023, targeting Western public figures, institutions, and media to discredit them and their support for Ukraine, while promoting Russian interests and arguing that European governments prioritize aid to Ukraine over domestic issues.
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