TEL AVIV - CyberWell CEO & Founder Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor responds to the antisemitic conspiracy theories emerging in the aftermath of the attack:
“Today’s horrific attack aboard a FlyDubai flight from the UAE to Israel is an ugly reminder of how quickly online antisemitism can distort the facts of an unfolding event. After a co-pilot allegedly stabbed the second pilot and attempted to take control of the aircraft, Israeli passengers helped restrain him and keep the injured pilot alive before the plane diverted safely to Saudi Arabia.
As news of the incident spread, ‘false flag’ claims quickly emerged on social media, alleging that Israelis had hijacked the plane or staged the attack. These claims reflect a broader pattern of conspiratorial self-victimization, an antisemitic conspiracy that falsely accuses Jews or Israelis of orchestrating attacks against themselves to manipulate public opinion. It is a contemporary expression of Jew-hatred and a form of misinformation aimed at spreading hatred, distrust and disgust toward Jews.
Platforms and LLMs cannot rely on poisoned knowledge sources or automated systems that fail to recognize these rapidly evolving forms of antisemitic conspiracy. They need real-time expertise from organizations like CyberWell that can identify emerging narratives, understand the context behind them and help platforms respond effectively.
‘False flag’ conspiracy theories are particularly corrosive because they do more than deny an attack. They recast victims as perpetrators and can perpetuate violence by fueling hatred and encouraging further violence against Jews.”
CyberWell is an independent, tech-based nonprofit combating the spread of antisemitism online, operating globally. Its AI-powered technologies monitor social media in English and Arabic for content promoting antisemitism, Holocaust denial, and incitement to violence against Jews and their allies based on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. Its analysts review and report this content to platform moderators and index verified posts in the first-ever open database of antisemitic social media posts, cataloging it openly for transparency at app.cyberwell.org. Through partnerships, education and real-time alerts, CyberWell partners with social media platforms and digital service companies to help them enforce their policies more effectively, promoting proactive steps against online Jew-hate. For more information, visit: cyberwell.org.
