British Jewish newspaper publishes fake Israeli intelligence amid pro-Netanyahu influence campaign, Israeli army claims

London (Quds News Network)- The Jewish Chronicle, Britain’s oldest Jewish newspaper, is at the center of a growing scandal after publishing what Israeli military sources are calling fabricated intelligence reports. These false claims, allegedly part of a broader effort to sway public opinion in favor of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have raised serious concerns about the spread of misleading information regarding the ongoing Gaza offensive.

The controversy erupted after the Jewish Chronicle published an exclusive report on September 5, claiming that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar planned to smuggle Israeli prisoners out of Gaza through the Philadelphi Corridor into Iran. The story, which cited unnamed Israeli “intelligence sources,” also suggested that Hamas’ top leaders were preparing to flee with the prisoners.

The report echoed a statement made by Netanyahu the previous day, in which he argued that Israeli forces must maintain control over the Gaza-Egypt border to prevent Israeli prisoners from being smuggled out. Netanyahu’s claims and the Chronicle’s report were soon picked up by right-wing Israeli media, with the prime minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, reiterating the alleged threat to families of the remaining prisoners.

However, Israel’s security establishment quickly debunked the story. Israeli news outlets, including Channel 12 and Ynet, reported that multiple military and intelligence officials confirmed no such intelligence exists. Four different sources described the Jewish Chronicle’s claims as a “wild fabrication,” and the Israeli ary officially dismissed the article as entirely baseless.

The controversy deepened as similar fabrications appeared in other major media outlets. Germany’s Bild newspaper also published a report on September 6, claiming to have found a secret document on Sinwar’s computer that outlined Hamas’ strategy to delay ceasefire negotiations and manipulate the international community. Like the Jewish Chronicle’s story, this report was later debunked by Israeli military sources, who described the document as a mere draft proposal by a junior operative, not an official strategy document.

Israel’s army is now investigating the source of these fabrications, suspecting that they are part of an influence campaign aimed at bolstering Netanyahu’s standing amidst growing public protests demanding an exchange deal. According to +972 Magazine, a military official involved in the investigation said the fabrications appear designed to manipulate Israeli public opinion to support Netanyahu’s continued military efforts in Gaza.

Veteran Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar told the Magazine that the timing of the fabricated reports is no coincidence. Eldar tweeted that the false claims seem crafted to align perfectly with Netanyahu’s political needs, just as public anger over the deaths of six Israeli prisoners is intensifying. Eldar implied that the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office may be behind the leaks, accusing it of manipulating the foreign press to serve Netanyahu’s agenda.

Adding another layer to the scandal is the author of the Jewish Chronicle article, Elon Perry, who is now facing allegations of falsifying his own credentials. An investigation by Israeli media revealed that Perry’s claims of being a former commando in Israel’s Golani Brigade and a participant in Operation Entebbe are fabrications. Furthermore, his claims of having taught at Tel Aviv University were proven false.