On Friday, the Israeli government reacted to a social media message from Swedish climate advocate Greta Thunberg expressing her support for Palestinians.
“The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected,” the 20-year-old posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Israel’s official X account, overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Middle Eastern nation, responded promptly, with a straightforward and direct counterstatement, just a little over an hour after Greta Thunberg posted her revised tweet.
“.@GretaThunberg, Hamas doesn’t use sustainable materials for their rockets which have BUTCHERED innocent Israelis. The victims of the Hamas massacre could have been your friends. Speak up,” Israel posted.
.@GretaThunberg, Hamas doesn’t use sustainable materials for their rockets which have BUTCHERED innocent Israelis .
— Israel ישראל 🇮🇱 (@Israel) October 20, 2023
The victims of the Hamas massacre could have been your friends.
Speak up. https://t.co/giHNJxeF6N pic.twitter.com/Z4orsm2UjD
Thunberg’s original post included a picture of her with three other activists with signs that read, “Free Palestine,” “Climate Justice Now,” “This Jew Stands With Palestine” and “Stand With Gaza.” It was deleted because it included a blue octopus that had a frowning face and was sitting on one of the activists’ legs, which she said she had not realized could be viewed as an antisemitic symbol.
Shortly afterward, Thunberg posted a nearly identical photo, featuring the same four individuals holding identical signs, but with the stuffed animal removed from the image.
“The toy in the picture is a tool often used by autistic people as a way to communicate feelings,” Thunberg explained.
Thunberg, who was arrested at an energy protest in London last week, said she and her activists “are of course against any type of discrimination, and condemn antisemitism in all forms and shapes.”
