
Grahame Morris, a Labour Party member of parliament, apologized on April 23 for tweeting a fake video of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) “beating up Palestinian children.”
Morris wrote in a since-deleted tweet on April 22, “Marvellous, absolutely marvellous the Israeli Army, the best financed, best trained, best equipped army in the world caught on camera beating up Palestinian children for the fun of it. May God forgive them.”
The IDF fired back, “The only marvelous thing here are your lies. These are not IDF soldiers. Apologies would be in order.”
The only marvelous thing here are your lies.
These are not IDF soldiers.
Apologies would be in order. https://t.co/ImIY9nD8lX— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 22, 2019
The link in the IDF’s tweet goes to an August 2015 article from Vice News about how five Guatemalan soldiers were caught on video “slapping, punching, kneeing, and even drop-kicking” two teenage boys after disobeying a stop order from the soldiers.
Morris tweeted out an apology on April 23, writing: “I am sorry for sharing a post which purports to show the IDF hurting children but it was in fact the Guatemalan Army. My error demonstrates the dangers of fake news online and I will be more diligent in future in checking my sources.”
I am sorry for sharing a post which purports to show the IDF hurting children but it was in fact the Guatemalan Army.
My error demonstrates the dangers of fake news online and I will be more diligent in future in checking my sources.
— Grahame Morris (@grahamemorris) April 23, 2019
At least nine Labour MPs have resigned from the party as a result of anti-Semitism plaguing the party under Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.