Media personality Elchanan Shkolnik found himself at the center of a modern blood libel after an innocent post he shared on X “exploded" among hostile audiences worldwide.
Last week, Shkolnik posted a photo of himself in IDF uniform holding his baby son, with the caption: “My beloved son, I am going so that you will have a better future." Within hours, the post went viral and amassed millions of views.
The incitement began when antisemitic users noticed a detail in the background of the photo-a framed item on the wall containing a verse in Arabic.
Without checking the facts, thousands of users began spreading a conspiracy theory claiming that the soldier had taken the picture inside a “stolen" Palestinian Arab home.
The reactions grew more extreme, with some even claiming that the baby in his arms was actually a “kidnapped Palestinian baby."
A Gazan writer, Omar Hamad, shared a post that received over a million views, in which he claimed: “It’s obvious this Israeli lives in a house stolen from a Palestinian family that was killed or expelled. As if that’s not enough, he is now on his way to Gaza to kill children."
Among the thousands of commenters was also former Haaretz journalist Orit Galili, who attacked Shkolnik in particularly harsh language: “Disgusting. Using a newborn baby to brainwash us. Don’t go and don’t do us any favors. We don’t want an eternal war of death-eaters like you."
During a break from his reserve duty, Shkolnik discovered the storm surrounding him and set the record straight. He explained that the home in the photo belongs to his in-laws, Jewish immigrants from Syria, who keep Arabic motifs in their home.
“First of all, it’s obviously complete nonsense," Shkolnik said in a video he posted from reserve duty. “The difference between us and our enemies is this: we go to reserve duty to protect our children, and our enemies want to kill children. It won’t help our enemies-the people of Israel live and endure."
