Suspected pro-Israel bot network targets Irish peacekeepers in Lebanon

Pro-Israeli bot networks may have been spreading disinformation online regarding Irish presence in southern Lebanon in an attempt to secure the withdrawal of UNIFIL peacekeepers from the region, The Irish Times reported on Saturday, citing Irish military intelligence.

According to the report, posts across social media have claimed that Irish troops are sympathetic to Hezbollah and have intentionally failed to disarm the terrorist group.

Additionally, the suspected bots have encouraged direct attacks on Irish peacekeepers – and Irish people in general – for holding antisemitic views.

The Irish Defence Forces intelligence bureau reported the increase in online disinformation regarding Irish troops in Lebanon at the beginning of October, when the IDF ground offensive in Lebanon first began.

While Irish military experts have been unable to link the campaign to Israel, sources told The Irish Times that it mirrors previous campaigns carried out by the Israeli government.

Bot accounts

Bot accounts are often programmed to comment under popular news articles or social media posts and use artificial intelligence to generate content that is almost indistinguishable from real social media users.

According to the report, the campaign has had a concerning impact on family members of the Irish military, as many have already contacted the Defence Forces concerned for their loved ones following messages that have called for the troops to be targeted by the IDF.

“The idea is to build a groundswell of opinion to persuade governments to withdraw their troops,” one source said.

The activities of the suspected bots have only been bolstered by many posts from real accounts. 

For instance, former White House adviser Matthew Brodsky tweeted last month that “Israel should carpet bomb the Irish area and then drop napalm over it.”

“I hope everyone of those POS Irishmen are blasted to bits,”  another post of his read.