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| '''Zoological conspiracy theories''' are ] propagated in the media or on the internet, usually in Muslim majority countries, alleging use of animals by ] to attack civilians or to conduct ]. These conspiracies are often reported as evidence of a ] or Israeli plot. | '''Zoological conspiracy theories''' are ] propagated in the media or on the internet, usually in Muslim majority countries, alleging use of animals by ] to attack civilians or to conduct ]. These conspiracies are often reported as evidence of a ] or Israeli plot. | ||
| ==List of animals about which conspiracy has been theorized== | |||
| ==Overview== | |||
| * ]<ref name="news.sciencemag.org"></ref><ref name=WP/><ref name=CBN/><ref name="news.sciencemag.org"/><ref name=star/><ref name=haaretz/><ref name=BBC/><ref name=arabnyheter/><ref name=lahona/><ref name=showthread/><ref name=ABC>{{cite news|title=Israeli Vulture Spy Declared Innocent By Saudi Arabia |publisher=]|author= Alexander Marquardt|url =http://abcnews.go.com/International/saudi-prince-clears-israeli-vulture-spy/story?id=12584216|date=January 10, 2011}}</ref><ref name=Emirates>{{cite news|title=Saudis to free Israeli vulture |publisher=]|author= Emirates 24/7 staff|url =http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/saudis-to-free-israeli-vulture-2011-01-09-1.339781|date=January 9, 2011}}</ref> | |||
| ] on suspicion of being used by Israel for spying|thumb|right]] | |||
| * ]<ref name=WP/><ref name=CBN/> | |||
| * ] <ref name=post/><ref name=haaretz/><ref name=BBC/> | |||
| In 2011 a Griffon Vulture carrying a satellite tracking device was detained in ] on suspicion of spying. The Israeli ornithologist Yossi Leshem of ] said that this was the third such detention of a bird tracked by Israeli scientists in 3 decades.<ref name="news.sciencemag.org"></ref> In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, Sudanese authorities detained an Egyptian vulture and a white pelican tracked by Israeli scientists. The birds, wearing a ] device and a tag with the sign "Tel Aviv University," were captured by local officials. Sudanese authorities refused to return the GPS transmitters.<ref name=WP/><ref name=CBN/> | |||
| * ]<ref name=Hudson/> | |||
| ⚫ | * ]<ref name=sharks_and_jellyfish>{{cite web|title=Egyptian Diving Instructor: Israel Responsible for Fatal Shark Attack & for Lethal Jellyfish|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhFyx8aa120w&v=hFyx8aa120w&gl=US|work=Youtube|publisher=Memri TV|accessdate=30 Dec 2010}}</ref><ref name=ahram/><ref name="Discover">{{cite web| title=Shark Attack in Egypt? Must Be the Work of Israeli Agents|url=http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2010/12/13/shark-attack-in-egypt-must-be-the-work-of-israeli-agents/|publisher=Discovery Magazine}}</ref><ref name="almasryalyoum">{{cite news|title=Governor absolves Israel of shark attacks|url=http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/governor-absolves-israel-shark-attacks|accessdate=11 January 2011|date=20 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="bbc2">{{cite news |title=Shark attacks not linked to Mossad says Israel |author=Yolande Knell |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11937285 |newspaper=BBC News |date=7 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks |author=Yasmine Fathi |url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/1343/Egypt/Politics-/Expert-shoots-down-conspiracy-theory-blaming-Israe.aspx |newspaper=Al Ahram |date=6 December 2010 |accessdate=30 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Egypt to reopen beaches after deadly shark attack |author= |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101212/wl_nm/us_egypt_shark |agency=Reuters |date=12 December 2010 |accessdate=26 December 2010}}</ref> | ||
| In December 2010, ] in Egypt were attributed to a shark released by the ].<ref name=post/><ref name=haaretz/><ref name=BBC/> | |||
| * ]<ref name=sharks_and_jellyfish /> | |||
| ⚫ | * ]<ref name=JP>{{cite news|title=Palestinians: Israel uses rats against J'lem Arabs |publisher=]|author= ]|url =http://www.jpost.com/Home/Article.aspx?id=108216|date=07/20/2008}}</ref><ref name="World Affairs"/><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/916624--secret-agent-vulture-tale-just-the-latest-in-animal-plots | location=Toronto | work=The Star | first=Gil | last=Yaron | title=Secret agent plot? Saudi Arabia claims bird working as Israel spy | date=5 January 2011}}</ref> | ||
| In January 2011, ]n authorities 'detained' what they described as a "Zionist" vulture.<ref name=BBC/> According to the local media, the Griffon vulture, found to have a satellite tracking device commonly used in research, was sent by the Israeli Mossad.<ref name="news.sciencemag.org"/> | |||
| * ]<ref name="Nazzal">{{cite web|last=Nazzal|first=Nasouh|title=Israelis wage a dirty war against Palestinian farmers|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/region/palestinian-territories/israelis-wage-a-dirty-war-against-palestinian-farmers-1.938054|publisher=Gulf News|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Abbas: We are going to Security Council to get Membership|url=http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17372|publisher=WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency|accessdate=16/9/2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Libel: Jews spread pigs to destroy PA agriculture|url=http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=911&page=2|publisher=Palestinian Media Watch|accessdate=May 23, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=3 cars torched, mosque defaced in West Bank|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-11/middleeast/world_meast_west-bank-graffiti_1_radical-israeli-settlers-palestinian-village-israeli-security-forces?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST|publisher=CNN|accessdate=January 11, 2012|date=4 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=PA Blames Israel for Wild Boars|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/131834#.T0FC3IfVzNU|publisher=Arutz Sheva|accessdate=6/12/2009}}</ref> | |||
| * ]<ref> BBC, May 16, 2012.</ref> | |||
| The ] has accused Israel of using wild boars to destroy Arab crops in the West Bank and drive farmers out of their lands.<ref name=Hudson/> | |||
| ==Shark conspiracy== | |||
| ], one of the two species implicated in the attacks]] | |||
| This conspiracy theory emerged in December 2010 after shark attacks occurred off the South Sinai resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. In an interview on an Egyptian TV program ''Egypt Today'', Captain Mustafa Ismail, introduced as "a famous diver", claimed that no oceanic whitetip sharks lived in the Red Sea off Egypt. When asked how the sharks got there, Ismail responded: "No, it's who let them in?" He described a conversation with an Israeli diver who told him that an oceanic whitetip was captured off ], an Israeli town also on the Red Sea coast, and that it had a ] attached to it. Though this is a common method of monitoring shark migrations, Ismail became suspicious and theorised, "the sharks were monitored to attack in Egypt's waters only". He alleged that the GPS tracking device was in fact a "guiding device".<ref>{{cite web|title=Egyptian Diving Instructor: Israel Responsible for Fatal Shark Attack & for Lethal Jellyfish|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhFyx8aa120w&v=hFyx8aa120w&gl=US|work=Youtube|publisher=Memri TV|accessdate=30 Dec 2010}}</ref><ref name=ahram/> | |||
| Prompted in a TV interview to comment on the theory, the governor of ], Mohammad Abdul Fadhil Shousha, was reported to have said that it could not be ruled out: "What is being said about the Mossad throwing the deadly shark to hit tourism in Egypt is not out of the question. But it needs time to confirm."<ref name="Discover">{{cite web| title=Shark Attack in Egypt? Must Be the Work of Israeli Agents|url=http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2010/12/13/shark-attack-in-egypt-must-be-the-work-of-israeli-agents/|publisher=Discovery Magazine}}</ref> He later directly dismissed the theory.<ref name="almasryalyoum">{{cite news|title=Governor absolves Israel of shark attacks|url=http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/news/governor-absolves-israel-shark-attacks|accessdate=11 January 2011|date=20 December 2010}}</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ==Vulture conspiracy== | |||
| A griffon vulture with a wingspan of about {{convert|8|ft|m}} was seen flying in Saudi Arabia, near the home of a ], near the city of Hayel. When the bird was captured, a GPS device and a "Tel Aviv University" leg tag were discovered on the bird. The authorities were alerted that the vulture was a part of "Zionist plot". The story was first reported in Saudi Arabia's newspaper ''Al-Weeam'', and was later discussed in Arabic websites and other Saudi Arabia media outlets.<ref name=star/><ref name=haaretz/><ref name=BBC/> | |||
| According to ] newspaper ''Harmony'' the bird with code number "R56" was well trained and resisted the arrest by emitting a large amount of "a foul smell waste out of his mouth".<ref name=lahona/><ref name=showthread/> According to ''Arab Nyheter'' news agency "] has reported that Saudi security authorities arrested a suspect bird, who worked for Israeli intelligence (Mossad) and was flying in Saudi airspace to gather information on the country." <ref name=arabnyheter/> | |||
| Prince ], the Secretary-General of the ], criticized the coverage the vulture received in the Saudi media, saying: "Some of the Saudi journalists rushed in carrying the news of this bird for the sake of getting a scoop without checking the information...they should have asked the competent authorities about the bird before publishing such news."<ref name=Emirates/> Israeli officials described the accusation as "ludicrous" and said they were "stunned" and were concerned that the bird could meet a severe punishment in the Saudi justice system.<ref name=BBC/> | |||
| A spokesman for Israel's Park and Nature Authority told the Israeli daily '']'' that Israeli scientists are using GPS devices to determine the ] routes of the birds. He explained that, "The device does nothing more than receive and store basic data about the bird's whereabouts, and about his altitude and speed".<ref name=BBC/><ref name=ABC>{{cite news|title=Israeli Vulture Spy Declared Innocent By Saudi Arabia |publisher=]|author= Alexander Marquardt|url =http://abcnews.go.com/International/saudi-prince-clears-israeli-vulture-spy/story?id=12584216|date=January 10, 2011}}</ref> | |||
| The bird was later released from custody after Saudi wildlife authorities determined that its tracking system was used for scientific purposes.<ref name=Emirates>{{cite news|title=Saudis to free Israeli vulture |publisher=]|author= Emirates 24/7 staff|url =http://www.emirates247.com/news/region/saudis-to-free-israeli-vulture-2011-01-09-1.339781|date=January 9, 2011}}</ref> | |||
| ==Rat conspiracy== | |||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ==Pig conspiracy== | |||
| Arab media have imputed the presence of indigenous wild boars within Israel and the West Bank to a well-designed Israeli plan to force Palestinian farmers to abandon their land, and have blamed Israel for the pigs' destructive actions.<ref name="Nazzal">{{cite web|last=Nazzal|first=Nasouh|title=Israelis wage a dirty war against Palestinian farmers|url=http://gulfnews.com/news/region/palestinian-territories/israelis-wage-a-dirty-war-against-palestinian-farmers-1.938054|publisher=Gulf News|accessdate=November 27, 2011}}</ref> The ] accused Israel of utilising pigs to destroy Arab crops and drive farmers from their lands.<ref name=Hudson/> Its chairman, ] condemned Israel for the alleged training of wild pigs to attack Palestinians.<ref>{{cite web|title=Abbas: We are going to Security Council to get Membership|url=http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=17372|publisher=WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency|accessdate=16/9/2011}}</ref> The head of the Kufr Yasouf council stated on PA TV that the Jews brought the pigs to "fight against us" and to "destroy the agriculture".<ref>{{cite web|title=Libel: Jews spread pigs to destroy PA agriculture|url=http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=911&page=2|publisher=Palestinian Media Watch|accessdate=May 23, 2011}}</ref> The ] reported that Palestinian farmers' lives were endangered by the release of huge numbers of Israeli wild pigs as part of an Israeli plan and that the Palestinian Veterinary Department did not have the necessary materials to fight the pigs.<ref name="Nazzal"/> The mayor of Deir Istiya village accused Israeli settlers of releasing around 300 wild pigs into the farming fields of the village that damaged the crops of the Palestinian farmers.<ref>{{cite news|title=3 cars torched, mosque defaced in West Bank|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-11/middleeast/world_meast_west-bank-graffiti_1_radical-israeli-settlers-palestinian-village-israeli-security-forces?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST|publisher=CNN|accessdate=January 11, 2012|date=4 May 2010}}</ref> The Palestinian organisation, the ], reported that it was common practice of Israeli settlers to dump wild pigs and other wild animals outside of their fenced settlements onto Palestinian land.<ref>{{cite web|title=Israeli settlers release wild pigs on Palestinian farmland in Salfit|url=http://www.imemc.org/article/58589|publisher=International Middle East Media Centre|accessdate=May 4, 2010}}</ref> Israeli media network ] noted the Israeli efforts to cull the wild boars in areas under its control and that the Nature and Parks Authority has worked to control the pig population. It observed that the alleged pigs' ability to selectively destroy only Arab crops had not been explained, and that Israel was unable to control the pig population in areas under Palestinian Authority control.<ref>{{cite web|title=PA Blames Israel for Wild Boars|url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/131834#.T0FC3IfVzNU|publisher=Arutz Sheva|accessdate=6/12/2009}}</ref> | |||
| ==Bird conspiracy== | |||
| In May 2012 a dead ] with an Israeli leg-band, used by naturalists to track migratory birds, was found by villagers near the south-eastern Turkish city of ]. The villagers worried that the bird may have carried a micro-chip from Israeli intelligence to spy on the area and alerted local officials. "At one point a counterterrorism unit became involved in the case," the BBC reported. "The regional office of the Turkish agriculture ministry examined the colourfully plumed corpse and assured residents of the village... that it was common practice to fit a ring to migratory birds in order to track their movements," the BBC reported.<ref> BBC, May 16, 2012.</ref> | |||
| ==Reactions== | ==Reactions== | ||
| After media reports of the allegations of animal use emerged, many commentators dismissed them as "paranoid" or claimed the evidence supporting the allegations was "scant".<ref name=star/><ref name=australian>{{cite news|title=Vulture held as Mossad spy by Saudi Arabia | After media reports of the allegations of animal use emerged, many commentators dismissed them as "paranoid" or claimed the evidence supporting the allegations was "scant".<ref name=star/><ref name=australian>{{cite news|title=Vulture held as Mossad spy by Saudi Arabia | ||
| |publisher=]|author= James Hider|url =http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/vulture-held-as-mossad-spy-by-saudi-arabia/story-e6frg6so-1225983216550|date=January 7, 2011}}</ref> Other commentators used the opportunity to criticize belief in conspiracy theories in the Arab world, which they characterized as a widespread problem.<ref name=Hudson/><ref name="World Affairs"/><ref name="WSJ"/> | |publisher=]|author= James Hider|url =http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/vulture-held-as-mossad-spy-by-saudi-arabia/story-e6frg6so-1225983216550|date=January 7, 2011}}</ref> Other commentators used the opportunity to criticize belief in conspiracy theories in the Arab world, which they characterized as a widespread problem.<ref name=Hudson/><ref name="World Affairs"/><ref name="WSJ"/> | ||
| ] ] and ] maker ] wrote that he was concerned that "the Arab masses have become accustomed to hearing such idiotic allegations from their governments and leaders, especially when they are directed against Israel and Jews. What is worrying that these rumors often find their way to mainstream thinking in the Arab world." He also mocked the rat conspiracy theory, joking that "it is not clear how these rats were taught to stay away from Jews, who also happen to live in the Old City."<ref name=Hudson/> | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 03:16, 24 September 2012
Zoological conspiracy theories are conspiracy theories propagated in the media or on the internet, usually in Muslim majority countries, alleging use of animals by Israel to attack civilians or to conduct espionage. These conspiracies are often reported as evidence of a Zionist or Israeli plot.
List of animals about which conspiracy has been theorized
Reactions
After media reports of the allegations of animal use emerged, many commentators dismissed them as "paranoid" or claimed the evidence supporting the allegations was "scant". Other commentators used the opportunity to criticize belief in conspiracy theories in the Arab world, which they characterized as a widespread problem.
See also
- Animal-borne bomb attacks
- Killer badger
- Military dolphin
- Media coverage of the Arab–Israeli conflict
- Pallywood
- Terminology in Media, Culture and Politics
References
- ^ Vulture Saudis Nabbed Was Third Israeli Bird Held Since 1975
- ^ Jackson Diehl (January 5, 2011). "Israel's Spying Vulture – and Killer Shark". Washington Post.
- ^ Julie Stahl (January 5, 2011). "Saudi Arabia Busts 'Israeli Spy' Vulture". CBN News.
- ^ Gil Yaron (January 5, 2011). "Secret agent vulture tale just the latest in animal plots". Toronto: Star-News.
- ^ Haaretz Service (January 4, 2011). "Saudi Arabia 'nabbed Israeli-tagged vulture for being Mossad spy'". haaretz.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia 'detains' Israeli vulture for spying". BBC. January 5, 2011.
- "اطلقوا سراح الجاسوس -النسر جوناثان بولارد". arabnyheter. 06/01/2011.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)Template:Ar icon - محيط – جهان مصطفى (07/01/2011). "نسر "آر56" يكشف لغز القرش المفترس بشرم الشيخ". lahona.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)Template:Ar icon - . showthread http://www.asir1.com/as/showthread.php?p=1614094.
{{cite news}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)Template:Ar icon - Alexander Marquardt (January 10, 2011). "Israeli Vulture Spy Declared Innocent By Saudi Arabia". ABC News.
- Emirates 24/7 staff (January 9, 2011). "Saudis to free Israeli vulture". Emirates 24/7.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Keith Thomson (January 5, 2011). "Could Vulture Captured in Saudi Arabia Have Been Sent by Mossad?". The Huffington Post.
- ^ Khaled Abu Toameh (December 14, 2010). "What is Responsible for Miseries of the Arabs?". Hudson New York.
- Mahmoud Abbas's official news agency, Wafa, reported that Israel had released poison-resistant rats to drive Arab residents of Jerusalem out of their homes. - ^ "Egyptian Diving Instructor: Israel Responsible for Fatal Shark Attack & for Lethal Jellyfish". Youtube. Memri TV. Retrieved 30 Dec 2010.
- Yasmine Fathi (December 6, 2010). "Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks". Ahram.
- "Shark Attack in Egypt? Must Be the Work of Israeli Agents". Discovery Magazine.
- "Governor absolves Israel of shark attacks". 20 December 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
- Yolande Knell (7 December 2010). "Shark attacks not linked to Mossad says Israel". BBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
- Yasmine Fathi (6 December 2010). "Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks". Al Ahram. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
- "Egypt to reopen beaches after deadly shark attack". Reuters. 12 December 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
- Khaled Abu Toameh (07/20/2008). "Palestinians: Israel uses rats against J'lem Arabs". Jerusalem Post.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Joshua Muravchik. "Epistemology to the Muslim World". World Affairs.
- Yaron, Gil (5 January 2011). "Secret agent plot? Saudi Arabia claims bird working as Israel spy". The Star. Toronto.
- Nazzal, Nasouh. "Israelis wage a dirty war against Palestinian farmers". Gulf News. Retrieved November 27, 2011.
- "Abbas: We are going to Security Council to get Membership". WAFA Palestinian News & Info Agency. Retrieved 16/9/2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - "Libel: Jews spread pigs to destroy PA agriculture". Palestinian Media Watch. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
- "3 cars torched, mosque defaced in West Bank". CNN. 4 May 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- "PA Blames Israel for Wild Boars". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 6/12/2009.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - BBC, May 16, 2012.
- James Hider (January 7, 2011). "Vulture held as Mossad spy by Saudi Arabia". The Australian.
- Bret Stephens (JANUARY 4, 2011). "Egypt's Prison of Hate. You know a country is in trouble when it blames shark attacks on the Mossad". The Wall Street Journal.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- Hunter lured Israeli vulture with “dead sheep”
- Video: Israel’s Latest Secret Weapon: The Death-Defying Rodent
- Bewitched Animals and the Muslim Media