French Report Accuses Israeli Actors of Spreading Misinformation During Riots
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
An internal French Foreign Ministry report, revealed by Reuters, accuses Israeli actors of spreading misleading narratives about recent riots in France, with top posts reaching over 35 million views. French President Macron acknowledged foreign manipulation of information but found no evidence of direct foreign intervention in the riots themselves. A separate EU report identified a Russian network spreading disinformation aimed at weakening French leadership and exacerbating divisions.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- French report alleges Israeli actors spread misinformation during recent riots.
- Top Israeli-linked posts garnered over 35 million views in three days.
- French President Macron acknowledged foreign information manipulation.
- No evidence found of direct foreign intervention in instigating riots.
- Separate EU report details Russian disinformation campaign.
- Russian operation aimed to weaken French leadership and sow division.
A leaked internal report from France's Foreign Ministry, obtained by Reuters, alleges that Israeli actors disseminated misleading narratives concerning recent riots in France. The report indicates that the top ten posts identified as originating from Israeli sources garnered over 35 million views within a three-day period, from October 16 to 18. For comparison, leading posts from U.S. MAGA movement figures achieved more than 49 million views, while pro-Russian sources accumulated approximately 2.8 million views.
French President Emmanuel Macron has dismissed claims linking the protests to immigration, calling some foreign commentary "foolish and unacceptable." While Macron stated there was no evidence of direct foreign intervention in instigating the riots, he acknowledged foreign manipulation of information circulating afterward. The report did not find evidence that foreign entities initiated or escalated the protests themselves.
Separately, an internal European Union report identified a covert Russian network, dubbed "Operation Overload," which allegedly spread videos disguised as Western media reports. These included false claims about immigrant-perpetrated rapes and anticipated terrorist attacks. According to Reuters, the operation aimed to portray French leadership as weak, exacerbate social divisions, and undermine support for Ukraine.
Reuters emphasized that it could not independently verify all findings in both the French and EU reports.
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