Model Gigi Hadid Posts False Information About Palestine
American model Gigi Hadid is facing backlash after she posted a photo on Instagram that falsely portrayed Palestinian terrorist Ahmed Manasra as a “child prisoner of war.” Hadid has nearly 80 million followers on Instagram. The post also inaccurately claimed Ahmed was “abducted” and accused Israel of “raping and murdering” innocent people.
The since-removed post showed a photo of Ahmed, who was imprisoned for going on a stabbing rampage in Jerusalem back in 2015. Disturbing footage released by police at the time shows Ahmed wielding a knife, chasing after Israelis on the street, and critically stabbing a 13-year-old boy.
Hadid, known for her controversial anti-Israel activism, falsely claimed that Israel is the only country keeping children as prisoners of war. However, this is not accurate according to the Israeli Knesset Research and Information Center, which states that security prisoners in Israel have many rights, including family visits, Red Cross visits, access to books and letters, TV, classes, and access to a canteen to buy products.
Ahmed was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. While in prison, he attempted to harm himself and others multiple times.
The post received immediate backlash and has since been taken down. Many users condemned Hadid, calling her a “social media terrorist” and suggesting that her family move to Gaza. This isn’t the first time that Hadid has been blasted for anti-Israel posts. In October, she was condemned by the Israeli government for sharing a graphic about the war, and for implying blame being placed on Israel for a Hamas terror attack.