Khaberni - The report on the Israeli i24NEWS channel sarcastically addressed claims circulated by Arab media about the "detection of unexpected Israeli spies in Arab and Islamic countries."
The report indicated that these "spies" were not humans but innocent animals and birds that the media turned into secret agents for the Mossad.
The report clarified that the common denominator between a white shark in Sharm El Sheikh, a dolphin off the coast of Gaza, an eagle in the deserts of Saudi Arabia, a lizard in Iran, and a small swallow in a field in Turkey, was that they were all accused of being "Zionist agents" despite their complete innocence.
The report began with a famous incident that took place in December 2010, when sharks attacked the shores of Sharm El Sheikh, causing panic among tourists and leading to a significant decline in tourism. The event quickly turned into a "conspiracy," as an Egyptian diver named Mustafa Ismail claimed that one of the caught sharks was fitted with a GPS device, suggesting that Mossad had remotely directed it to strike Egyptian tourism. The Governor of South Sinai at the time, Major General Mohamed Abdel Fadil Shousha, went so far as to say that "Mossad cannot be ruled out in this incident", leading the Israelis, according to the report, to comment sarcastically: "It seems the governor has watched 'Jaws' too many times."
The report noted that marine biologists provided scientific, logical explanations for the phenomenon, such as the dumping of sheep carcasses into the sea, overfishing, and rising water temperatures, but these explanations did not find receptive ears against the power of the "Mossad shark" theory that dominated the Egyptian media discourse.
The report moved on to another incident in 2015, when Hamas in Gaza announced the "detection of a spy dolphin" carrying cameras and listening devices. The story did not stop there but resurfaced in January 2022 when Iranian media broadcast a promotional video showing a "killer dolphin" executing underwater commando attacks, and Iranian reports described it as a "Zionist dolphin."
In Saudi Arabia, the report stated that in 2011, a media uproar occurred about a "Talmudic eagle" that was caught carrying a ring with the Tel Aviv University logo, prompting newspapers to describe it as a "Zionist spy." However, Prince Bandar bin Sultan personally intervened, saying: "Folks, this is scientific research. Let it fly," so the eagle was released, but the title "Mossad eagle" remained etched in collective memory.
In Turkey, in 2012, a small swallow was found dead in a field with an Israeli identification ring on its leg. Counter-terrorism units and veterinarians were promptly called to perform an autopsy, and some newspapers claimed that "its nostrils are excessively large and may contain a spy chip." A year later, another falcon with a "Tel Aviv" tag arrived at Firat University for examination, with an official writing on the entry form: "Israeli spy," before undergoing an X-ray that completely proved its innocence, leading to its release due to insufficient evidence.
Iran also had its share, as in 2018, Dr. Hassan Firouzabadi, former head of the Iranian Armed Forces, claimed that Western powers—including Israel—used lizards to spy on nuclear facilities because "their skins absorb atomic radiation," allowing for uranium detection. Firouzabadi did not provide any evidence of the existence of the "spy lizard corps," but the statement became fodder for mockery in Western media.
i24NEWS concluded their report with biting sarcasm, saying: "Thus was born the Mossad's zoo: sharks equipped with GPS, dolphins trained for assassination, eagles under investigation, and birds ending their lives with an X-ray examination!"
