Over the weekend, Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) shared a false claim on her social media account, implying that children had died due to Israeli military actions. However, the photograph was actually from a 2013 incident in Syria where children had fallen victim to chemical weapon poisoning. The post incorrectly alleged that “614 Palestinian children” had been “murdered by the Israeli IOF Forces.” This false claim originated from self-described “investigative journalist” Sulaiman Ahmed.
Omar, who has nearly three million followers, faced strong criticism for disseminating this propaganda and was accused of perpetuating misinformation about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky pointed out the false depiction and accused Omar of promoting it due to her “Jew hatred.”
NewsBusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck called out Sulaiman Ahmed, known for spreading anti-Semitic disinformation and lies about Israel. Dov Hikind, a former New York Democratic lawmaker, criticized both Ilhan Omar and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for their handling of misinformation and propaganda related to the conflict. Additionally, the Israeli government shared a video that appeared to show Palestinians using a doll to simulate a dead child during Israeli airstrikes.
This incident highlights the challenges of information dissemination and the role of social media in conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where misinformation can exacerbate tensions and distort public perceptions.