Ms Rachel Faces Accusations of Promoting Hamas Propaganda
The investigation request by StopAntisemitism has raised questions about the boundaries of free speech and the responsibility of social media influencers to provide accurate information, particularly when it comes to sensitive and complex issues like the Israel-Gaza conflict.
A US-based organization, Stop Antisemitism, has called for an investigation into children's YouTuber Ms Rachel, accusing her of promoting Hamas propaganda and violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by sharing information about the Israel-Gaza conflict that they claim is misleading.
The organization alleges that Ms Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, has used her platform to spread false information, including a photo of a child in Gaza who was actually suffering from cystic fibrosis, and has ignored the suffering of Israeli victims. They also criticize her for raising funds for children in Gaza without mentioning Jewish victims. Ms Rachel has a large following across her platforms, with over 20 million followers, and has been vocal in her support for children in Gaza.
Stop Antisemitism claims that Ms Rachel's actions constitute undisclosed work for foreign entities, potentially violating FARA. The group's director, Liora Rez, cited Ms Rachel's sharing of images of malnourished children in Gaza and casualty figures from Gaza's health ministry, which align with UN reports. However, the organization accuses her of ignoring the suffering of Israeli victims, hostages, and Jewish children.
Ms Rachel has not responded to the allegations, but has maintained her support for children in Gaza and has shared multiple Instagram posts highlighting the atrocities committed against them. The accusations against Ms Rachel are part of a broader effort by StopAntisemitism to label critics of Israel as antisemitic, which has included investigations of college campuses and the cancellation of funding to Columbia University.
The Department of Justice has not commented on whether it will pursue an investigation into Ms Rachel. The controversy surrounding her has sparked a debate about the role of social media influencers in shaping public opinion on sensitive topics like the Israel-Gaza conflict.