Tech group’s ‘witch hunt’ in US targets critics of Gaza war
WASHINGTON (AA) – A group of tech investors and executives supportive of Israel in California’s Silicon Valley has launched a WhatsApp group through which they defend Israel’s Gaza war, identify “enemies,” and pressurize individuals and institutions supportive of Palestine in the media, academia, and the business world.
Journalists Jack Poulson and Lee Fang say they obtained access to thousands of messages in the WhatsApp group, officially named the “J-Ventures Global Kibbutz Group.” They assert that the group is a project of the US-Israeli investment fund J-Ventures, where participants “request and claim tasks ranging from social media responses to IDF support shipments.”
They also say that a number of video meetings seen in the WhatsApp group show best practices for “hasbara” – an Israeli term for “public diplomacy”.
The group, they say, is joined by more than 300 investors, tech executives, activists, and at least one senior Israeli government official.
Their report says that a Dublin-based employee of the Israeli website building company Wix was fired after a screenshot of his LinkedIn post in support of Palestine was shared in the WhatsApp group by a Miami-based investor.
Many people around the world have been dismissed from their jobs for criticizing Israel’s deadly and brutal attacks on Gaza since October 7. Accused of “anti-semitism,” anyone showing any form of sympathy or solidarity with the suffering of Palestinians is blacklisted.
The report reveals that the WhatsApp group has played a very active role in the witch hunt against people speaking up for Palestine.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
