A comprehensive analysis of social media discussions on the Twitter platform conducted over a span of several years has revealed that Israel is consistently accused of human rights violations more frequently than any other country in the world.
The study, carried out by the Ruderman Family Foundation and the nonprofit Network Contagion Research Institute, examined approximately 100 million tweets posted between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022. It uncovered that Israel faced accusations of human rights violations 12 times more often than China, 38 times more often than Iran, 55 times more often than Russia, and a staggering 111 times more often than North Korea.
The research findings were presented during a meeting of the Knesset Caucus for Israel-American Jewry Relations last week. The study revealed that the majority of tweets categorized as “anti-Zionist” during this period were also identified as being antisemitic in nature. These tweets shared similar hateful themes and applied a double standard to Israeli actions. The study further demonstrated that peaks in antisemitic and anti-Zionist tweets were correlated with real-life events and political developments.
During the period examined, when the Trump administration held power, the number of antisemitic tweets was six times higher than the number of anti-Zionist tweets. Conversely, when the Biden administration assumed power, there were roughly three times more anti-Zionist tweets compared to antisemitic tweets.
Instances of antisemitic tropes in tweets peaked during significant events such as the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol, the emergence of COVID-19 and associated conspiracy theories, and the death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. On the other hand, tweets incorporating anti-Zionist tropes surged during the 2021 Gaza conflict, the killing of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, and the release of an Amnesty International report in 2022 that accused Israel of practicing apartheid.
The foundation’s report also indicated that these peaks in social media discussions aligned with real-life incidents of antisemitic attacks both on and off college campuses, although specific examples were not provided.
Adam Sohn, CEO of NCRI, emphasized the close resemblance between anti-Zionist and antisemitic tropes, stating, “Many people distinguish between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, but our research suggests that the tropes they use are nearly identical. In the present, as well as in our previous analyses, we have found correlations with real-world incidents of antisemitism. The tropes of anti-Zionism are utilized to justify broader attacks against Jews everywhere, and we strongly urge appropriate measures to be taken in response.”
{Matzav.com}
Rashida Tlaib and Joe Biden are correct.
Isntbtwitter banned in Iran? How could they make accusations?