Israeli Newspaper: Greta Thunberg Exposed the Absurdity of Israeli Propaganda to the World

Haaretz, in its editorial, stated that for arrogant, misogynistic, racist, and merciless Israelis, the work of the men and women aboard the “Freedom Flotilla to Gaza” was reduced solely to Thunberg’s identity. The paper noted that Greta Thunberg and her fellow activists never truly believed their flotilla would significantly alleviate the hunger and suffering of Gaza’s population, but they fully understood their symbolic mission—and they achieved that.

Haaretz, often critical of mainstream Israeli discourse, wrote:“For 17 years, Israel has enforced a suffocating blockade on millions of Palestinians in Gaza, restricting the movement of goods and people in and out of the Strip. Over the past 20 months, this blockade has been compounded by a humanitarian catastrophe of biblical proportions. Tens of thousands have been killed as ‘collateral damage,’ hundreds of thousands have been wounded, and many have been left homeless—wandering as refugees in a starved, medicine-deprived land.”

Deflecting Attention

Regarding the so-called humanitarian aid provided by Israel through a U.S.-backed fund, Haaretz argues it falls far short of actual needs—barely a few hundred thousand meals per day distributed ineffectively. The report highlights the immense danger aid seekers face, citing daily deaths from Israeli army fire, with victims standing helplessly in deadly queues—treated worse than by the world’s most brutal traffic cop.

With sarcasm, the paper added:“‘Investigations into the circumstances are ongoing,’ says IDF spokesperson Avi Davrin, who rushes to crawl into a tunnel—anything to divert attention from the truth.”

Haaretz again emphasized that, for arrogant and dehumanizing Israeli attitudes, none of this matters. The entire mission of the Freedom Flotilla was reduced to Greta Thunberg’s persona. Rather than addressing the real reasons the flotilla set sail, or questioning the legality of Israel’s actions—since tracking systems showed the boat was intercepted in international waters hundreds of kilometers off the coast—public discourse narrowed down to Thunberg’s gender, age, environmental activism, and, as she once disclosed, her autism.

The Foreign Ministry’s Embarrassment

The editorial recalled that Jerusalem’s municipal government posted a photo on its official Facebook page of Thunberg receiving traditional Jerusalem cookies from a soldier—while fires raged near the city’s largest hospital. The post was later deleted.

An Israeli Instagram account with 700,000 followers mocked the incident:“I can’t believe we stopped Greta Thunberg. This is the funniest joke I’ve ever heard,” adding, “Greta, heartfelt advice—leave the Middle East. You look like a Tel Aviv café waitress.”

Other Israeli media outlets and officials joined the absurdity, celebrating photos of Thunberg with IDF soldiers or aboard the deportation flight. The Foreign Ministry added to the embarrassment by repeatedly referring to the flotilla as a “selfie yacht,” as if the entire world were naïve.

You Are the Joke

Haaretz concluded:“You are the joke. Greta Thunberg is known around the world as a serious and committed activist who has inspired tens of millions of young people. While Israelis immerse themselves in death and destruction songs, and while her peers march into Gaza homes with the spirit of occupation and killing, she risks her safety and comfort, sailing thousands of kilometers under harsh conditions.”

All of this, Haaretz wrote, was to send a message that Israelis should consider listening to:
Lift the blockade on Gaza. Let humanitarian aid in. End the war. Stop killing tens of thousands.

Thunberg’s mission was accomplished. As for Israel—it looked, the paper concluded, “more foolish than ever before.”