By: Benjamin Brown
Anti-Semitic conspiracy theories are spreading online and in international media, claiming “Jews and Zionists” have “organized and engineered Coronavirus” as part of a scheme to “design the world, seize countries and neuter the world’s population,” the UK-based Anti-Semitism watchdog Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) reported.
The statements were made by a commentator on Turkish TV who echoed conspiracy theories presented by several public figures around the world.
An Iraqi political analyst claimed on TV that COVID-19 was an American and Jewish plot to reduce the world’s population, telling viewers that a patent for the novel Coronavirus was registered in the US in 2015 and “American history is based entirely on conspiracies.”
The analyst, Muhammad Sadeq Al-Hashemi added that “the Jews” had cleansed North America’s native population with anthrax, the “Zionist lobby” had killed a third of Scotland’s population and the Rothschild’s had a monopoly on laboratories to develop biological weapons.
A professor at California State University predicted on Twitter Israel would “put Non-Jews in mass prisons” over the Corona outbreak in Israel.
Twitter has been a hub for Corona-based conspiracy theories, with Israel’s ongoing efforts to develop a vaccine also seen as “proof” for the “Zionist plot” by several users.
Several conspiracy theories concerning the origin of COVID-19 have gained a following online with the most popular ones including claims that the virus was caused by bioweapon experiments in Wuhan, China, that 5G networks were triggering the virus which is a part of human DNA or that the novel Coronavirus is, in fact, merely a “liberal media hoax” aimed to sew panic among the population.
Jews frequently find themselves being portrayed as sinister perpetrators of conspiracy theories, brining disaster upon the world to expand their power and achieve their goal of world dominance. As the Black Plague spread across Europe in the 14th century, Jews were made responsible for the epidemic by many, resulting in attacks on Jewish communities.
Last Monday night, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu issued s statement saying that everyone entering Israel from abroad must enter home quarantine for 14 days, regardless of citizenship- or residency-status, amid efforts to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.
In a video message, the Prime Minister said the move, which became effective for Israelis at 8 pm Monday, had been made following “complex discussions” but had been necessary to “maintain public health, which takes precedence over everything else.”
The new quarantine regulations will be in effect for two weeks and – depending on the further spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVD-19), may be extended.
Meanwhile, tourists currently in Israel are being asked to leave the country “in an orderly manner in the coming days,” the Health Ministry stated Monday without giving a deadline. (TPS)
