WINNIPEG โ Ramsey Zeid, president of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba and owner of the Foodfare grocery chain, is facing strong criticism after sharing a social media post promoting a conspiracy claim alleging that โinfluencers are suing Israel over unpaid Gaza propaganda contracts.โ
The claim, circulated in an Instagram story posted by Zeid, suggests that Israel secretly hires and pays social media influencers to manipulate global public opinion regarding the war in Gaza. Experts and community leaders say the allegation is not supported by credible evidence and mirrors longstanding antisemitic conspiracy theories portraying Jews or Israel as secretly controlling media narratives.
Jewish community leaders in Winnipeg described the post as part of a troubling pattern of rhetoric that fuels hostility toward Israel and Jews.
โThis is not legitimate political criticism,โ said one Winnipeg Jewish community advocate familiar with the issue. โIt is a classic antisemitic conspiracy narrative that portrays Jews as secretly manipulating global opinion through money and influence.โ
Conspiracy Narrative With Long Antisemitic History
Antisemitism researchers say allegations that Jews secretly pay individuals to control media or influence politics have appeared in antisemitic propaganda for centuries.
Organizations that track antisemitism, including the Anti-Defamation League, have documented how conspiracy narratives about Jewish control of media, finance, and political discourse frequently reappear in modern misinformation campaigns.
Experts say the โpaid influencer propagandaโ narrative circulating online today closely resembles those historical tropes.
โThere is a long history of conspiracy theories claiming Jews secretly pay others to shape public opinion,โ said an analyst who studies antisemitism and online disinformation. โThose narratives are recycled repeatedly in modern political discourse.โ
Researchers say such claims often emerge on fringe websites and social media platforms before spreading more widely through reposts and screenshots.
Leadership Role Raises Concern
The controversy surrounding Zeidโs post has drawn particular attention because of his leadership role within the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, commonly known as CPAM.
CPAM presents itself as an advocacy organization representing members of Manitobaโs Palestinian community and frequently organizes demonstrations and political campaigns related to Israel.
Community leaders say individuals who hold leadership positions in advocacy organizations carry a responsibility to avoid spreading misinformation that inflames tensions between communities.
โWhen someone in a public leadership role promotes conspiracy narratives about Jews or Israel, it has consequences,โ said a Winnipeg Jewish community member involved in local interfaith dialogue initiatives.
โIt deepens mistrust and fuels antisemitism at a time when Jewish communities across Canada are already under threat.โ
Pattern of Anti-Israel Rhetoric
Critics say Zeidโs latest post is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of rhetoric viewed as hostile toward Israel and dismissive of Jewish concerns about antisemitism.
Over the past several years, activists affiliated with CPAM and related advocacy networks have repeatedly circulated controversial material accusing Israel of conspiratorial or manipulative behavior.
Jewish community observers say the continued promotion of such claims risks normalizing misinformation and demonization of Israel.
โThis type of narrative goes far beyond criticism of Israeli government policies,โ said another community leader. โIt relies on conspiratorial ideas about Jews secretly controlling events.โ
Rising Antisemitism Across Canada
The controversy comes at a time when Jewish communities across Canada are reporting a significant rise in antisemitism incidents.
Police services in major Canadian cities, including Toronto and Montreal, have reported increases in antisemitism-related crimes and hate incidents since October 2023.
Recent weeks have seen shootings targeting synagogues in the Toronto area as well as antisemitic vandalism in Montreal, including swastikas painted on Jewish-owned businesses.
Community leaders say the spread of conspiracy narratives about Jews and Israel contributes to a broader climate of hostility.
โWhen misinformation and conspiracy theories are repeated often enough, they create an environment where antisemitism can grow,โ one Winnipeg community advocate said.
Responsibility in Public Discourse
Experts on antisemitism and online disinformation emphasize that criticism of Israeli government policy is common and legitimate within democratic societies.
However, they say conspiracy narratives portraying Jews as secretly manipulating media or paying individuals to shape political opinion cross a clear line.
Those narratives, researchers say, have historically been used to justify discrimination and violence against Jewish communities.
As tensions surrounding the Middle East conflict continue to reverberate internationally, community leaders say responsible public discourse is more important than ever.
โDisagreement about politics is normal,โ one Winnipeg Jewish leader said. โBut conspiracy theories about Jews have a long and dangerous history.โ
โPublic figures should know the difference.โ
