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Zoological conspiracy theories are conspiracy theories propagated by the Arab media and Arabic language websites alleging use of animals by Israel to attack civilians or to conduct espionage. These conspiracies are reported as evidence of a "Zionist plot." They supposedly reflect the reach of Israeli intelligence and the inability of intelligence organizations in the Muslim world to match it, as well as the Arab tendency to blame Israel for internal problems.

Allegations

In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, Sudanese authorities detained an Egyptian vulture and a white pelican tracked by Israeli scientists. "It's not a huge problem, but it happens. This is the Middle East," according to Israeli ornithologist Yossi Leshem of Tel Aviv University. The birds, wearing a GPS device and a tag with the sign "Tel Aviv University," were captured by local officials. Sudanese authorities refused to return the GPS transmitters.

In December 2010, shark attacks in Egypt were attributed to a shark released by the Mossad.

In January 2011, Saudi Arabian authorities arrested what they described as a "Zionist" vulture.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.

The Palestinian Authority has accused Israel of using wild boars to destroy Arab crops in the West Bank and drive farmers out of their lands.

Shark conspiracy

This conspiracy theory emerged in December 2010 in the wake of an interview with Captain Mustafa Ismail, introduced as "a famous diver in Sharm El Sheikh," on an Egyptian, TV program Egypt Today. Ismail claimed that there are no oceanic whitetip sharks in the Red Sea off Egypt. When asked how the sharks got there, Ismail responded: "No, it's who let them in?" He went on to describe a phone conversation with an Israeli diver who told him that they captured an oceanic whitetip off Eilat, an Israeli town also on the Red Sea coast. Ismail became suspicious when the Israeli told him the shark they captured had a GPS navigation device. Although this is a common method of monitoring shark migrations, Ismail offered his own theory of using GPS device on sharks: "the sharks were monitored to attack in Egypt's waters only".

Prompted in a TV interview to comment on the theory, the governor of South Sinai, Mohammad Abdul Fadhil Shousha, was reported to have said it couldn't 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." He later directly dismissed the theory.

Describing the theory as "sad", Professor Mahmoud Hanafy, a marine biologist at Suez Canal University, pointed out that GPS devices are used by marine biologists to track sharks, not to remote-control them. Egyptian officials suggested that the attacks were due to overfishing, illegal feeding, the dumping overboard of sheep carcasses, or unusually high water temperatures.

Vulture conspiracy

A griffon vulture with a wingspan of about 8 feet (2.4 m) was seen flying in Saudi Arabia, near the home of a shaikh, 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.

According to Riyadh 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".

According to Arab Nyheter news agency "Al Jazeera 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."

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.

A spokesman for Israel's Park and Nature Authority told the Israeli daily Ma'ariv that Israeli scientists are using GPS devices to determine the migration 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".

The bird was later released from custody after Saudi wildlife authorities determined that its tracking system was used for scientific purposes.

Rat conspiracy

In 2008, two Palestinian newspapers including official news wire Wafa, reported that settlers had flooded the Old City of Jerusalem with rats" They described "supernatural rats", twice as big as normal rats and breeding four times faster. The rats were allegedly introduced by "dozens of settlers ... carrying iron cages full of " with the intention of scaring the locals out of their homes." The Jerusalem Municipality called the reports "pure fiction". Political commentator Joshua Muravchik mocked the report, arguing that it made no sense as Jews also live in the Old City.

Reaction

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.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Secretary-General of the Saudi National Security Council, has criticized the coverage that the vulture incident 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."

See also

• Animal-borne bomb attacks
• Killer badger
• Military dolphin
• Media coverage of the Arab–Israeli conflict
• Pallywood

References

1. ^ 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.
2. ^ Gil Yaron (January 5, 2011). "Secret agent vulture tale just the latest in animal plots". Toronto: Star-News.
3. ^ Emirates 24/7 staff (January 9, 2011). "Saudis to free Israeli vulture". Emirates 24/7.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
4. ^ Keith Thomson (January 5, 2011). "Could Vulture Captured in Saudi Arabia Have Been Sent by Mossad?". The Huffington Post.
5. ^ James Hider (January 7, 2011). "Vulture held as Mossad spy by Saudi Arabia". The Australian.
6. Vulture Saudis Nabbed Was Third Israeli Bird Held Since 1975
7. Jackson Diehl (January 5, 2011). "Israel's Spying Vulture – and Killer Shark". Washington Post.
8. Julie Stahl (January 5, 2011). "Saudi Arabia Busts 'Israeli Spy' Vulture". CBN News.
9. ^ Haaretz Service (January 4, 2011). "Saudi Arabia 'nabbed Israeli-tagged vulture for being Mossad spy'". haaretz.
10. ^ "Saudi Arabia 'detains' Israeli vulture for spying". BBC. January 5, 2011.
11. Vulture Saudis Nabbed Was Third Israeli Bird Held Since 1975
12. Yasmine Fathi (December 6, 2010). "Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks". Ahram.
13. "Shark Attack in Egypt? Must Be the Work of Israeli Agents". Discovery Magazine.
14. "Governor absolves Israel of shark attacks". 20 December 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
15. Yolande Knell (7 December 2010). "Shark attacks not linked to Mossad says Israel". BBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
16. Yasmine Fathi (6 December 2010). "Expert shoots down conspiracy theory blaming Israel for shark attacks". Al Ahram. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
17. "Egypt to reopen beaches after deadly shark attack". Reuters. 12 December 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
18. 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
19. . showthread http://www.asir1.com/as/showthread.php?p=1614094. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)Template:Ar icon
20. "اطلقوا سراح الجاسوس -النسر جوناثان بولارد". arabnyheter. 06/01/2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)Template:Ar icon
21. Alexander Marquardt (January 10, 2011). "Israeli Vulture Spy Declared Innocent By Saudi Arabia". ABC News.
22. Khaled Abu Toameh (07/20/2008). "Palestinians: Israel uses rats against J'lem Arabs". Jerusalem Post. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
23. ^ Joshua Muravchik. "Epistemology to the Muslim World". World Affairs.
25. 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

• Egyptian Intellectuals Fight Common Arab Misconceptions
• Hunter lured Israeli vulture with “dead sheep”
• Video: Israel’s Latest Secret Weapon: The Death-Defying Rodent
• Bewitched Animals and the Muslim Media

• Conspiracy theories involving Israel
• Military animals