By DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD
What’s the issue?
In a provocative move, Iranian state television’s channel Ofogh aired a disturbing clip depicting a blood-soaked Israeli athlete during its broadcast of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The athlete is shown transferring blood to fellow Olympians through handshakes, igniting major outrage online.
Why it matters
This distressing depiction underscores Iran’s aggressive and unfounded campaign against Israel’s participation in global events such as the Olympics, aiming to tarnish the image of Israeli athletes and sow discord.
The Detail
Earlier this week, media watchdogs like the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) raised alarms about Iran’s latest smear campaign against Israeli Olympians. The clip features an Israeli athlete, identifiable by a menorah tattoo on his neck and an Israeli flag on his jacket, spreading blood to others during handshakes. This fictional narrative culminates with the athlete being cornered and having his Israeli-flagged jacket stained with blood.
Online Reaction
The video, labeled “BLOOD LIBEL?” on JNS’s Twitter feed, sparked widespread condemnation online. Users expressed their horror, equating it with notorious historical propaganda. One user elegantly stated, “This disgusting. Goebbels would be proud.” Another pointed out, “This is horrible work by the Islamic regime in Iran. Iranian people are peace-loving and don’t represent the values in this hate video.”
Larger Strategy at Play
The National Cyber Directorate revealed in July that Iran has been engaged in a broader “influence campaign aimed at intimidating Israel’s Olympic delegation.” This has included cyberbullying tactics like publishing personal information of Israeli athletes and sending them threats. Temporary head Gabi Portnoy emphasized the misuse of an apolitical sporting event for “digital terrorism.” Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar reassured that Israeli athletes remain undeterred: “We are witnessing attempts by the Iranian regime to intimidate Israeli athletes… nothing will stop us.” He further announced decisive steps to counter these intimidations, adding, “We will not relent until we topple the Iranian regime.”
Security Complex
Additional findings by Mossad in May outlined Iran’s growing support for European-based terror plots against Israeli targets. All these attempts point toward Tehran’s relentless plot to intimidate and potentially destabilize Jerusalem’s presence and success on international platforms like the Olympic Games.
This story was first published on jpost.com.