Israeli actor in anti-Gaza Flotilla pinkwashing video identified

Benjamin Doherty Activism and BDS Beat 25 June 2011


The disillusioned “gay activist” called “Marc” who appeared in a YouTube video condemning the Gaza Freedom Flotilla for alleged homophobia, that was tweeted by the Israeli Government Press Office, has been identified as an Israeli called Omer Gershon.

This definitely proves that the video is either a hoax or a piece of propaganda designed to discredit the flotilla and use a mask of concern for gay rights to pinkwash Israel and justify the persecution of Palestinians in Gaza.

Last night The Electronic Intifada confirmed that one of the first people to tweet the video was Guy Seemann, a staffer in the office of the Israeli prime minister.

The following images clearly identify Gershon by his face and tattoos.

Omer Gershon’s public Facebook profile

Facebook

from celebs.walla.co.il.

Walla!

Gershon, as an Israeli, could not possibly have been so naive as “Marc” claimed to be in the video about either the flotilla or the situation in Gaza. It is puzzling that a piece of propaganda that was meant to pass as the genuine work of an activist previously uninformed about the situation in Palestine would use a figure who is fairly well-known in the Israeli gay scene.

Gershon has been profiled in leading Israeli publications such as Haaretz, Maariv and Ynet (here and here).

A 2008 report gave his age as 33 and said he lived in Tel Aviv. Gershon was described as a “producer, entrepreneur, and PR manager for clubs.” Gershon says he went to school in New York where he got a degree in marketing and advertising at the age of 25 and lived there for almost four years. He also said he had volunteered for IGY (the youth LGBT organization in Israel) and a women’s rights org called “Ladies Circle.”

In 2011, he appeared in a promotional video for XL Energy Drink featuring a man beating a Muslim woman.

File Embedded

Questions still remain about who commissioned the “Marc” video and the role of the Israeli government in disseminating it. Is this official Israeli government propaganda?

Postscript

We thought it was important to debunk this project for a few reasons. The message of the video—however clumsy, transparent and fradulent—attacked Palestine solidarity actions and tried to undermine the relationships the Palestine solidarity movement has with other movements and activists such as LGBT rights. It may have also had intelligence gathering objectives. In the YouTube video description, “Marc” explicitly asked people to write to him. “Let me know if you’ve had similar experiences- marc3pax@gmail.com.” It is hard to believe anyone might have written to “Marc” sincerely offering information about LGBT and Palestine solidarity activists and organizations, but the creators of this video clearly invited such contacts.

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Comments

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Jenny Kastner replied on

One reason why, as a Jew I am an opponent of Zionism is precisely because Zionists are unable to argue their point rationally and must resort to lies and "dirty tricks." Albert Einstein predicted that Jewish nationalism would devolve into fascism. And here it is!

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Israeli replied on

yes but the the Israeli Press office sent out the correction about the Youtube video.
so which one is it? are they all liars? or perhaps there are some who are lying and those who are not lying?
maybe its wider than you think and not all Zionists are the same?

you know what you call someone who says all X are Y?
a racist.

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Max replied on

When did the Press Office send out its correction?
Lets guess, after they were caught out!

Admitting the "error" and blaming someone else is standard for the propagandist when caught out.

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reason replied on

Albert Einstein was an unabashed, card-carrying member of the Zionist enterprise. I don't know what you are talking about.

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TheAZCowBoy replied on

Einstein talked deeply against the Zionist crazies. He was an intelligent and highly educated man, thus he could never have been a Zionist.

Just take a look at Avigdor Lieberman, here is an excellent speciman of what ignorace can do to a human being.

TheAZCowBoy
Tombstone, AZ.

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Noor replied on

Dirty trick. It is well known that Israel vowed to make gay rights a big thing in its hasbara against the gentile nation of the planet. They use it a lot also in their hasbara against Iran and other nations.

Whenever political correctness is used as a tool, you know that something unpalatable is being slipped into the soup, and this is a case in point. They are using the old divide and conquer technique by aiming for something entirely different here, there is NO need to go where they go here.

When it comes to things like fighting for decent human rights, in this case for Palestine, such things as sexual orientation do not, or should not, play a part.

"Oh, you are gay? Gimme back that Palestinian flag and get lost!" I cannot imagine such a thing. They are asses with their hasbara again.

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@ohayek replied on

Just because the Israelis are sending a message in a false video does not necessarily mean the message is wrong. Actually, in this case it is exactly right.

I am a gay Lebanese. I support the Palestinian cause, and I am lucky I don't have to live with realities of groups like Hamas. But I understand the issue, because they are no different from groups like Hizbollah & Co.

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Benjamin Doherty replied on

This is primarily an attack on the Flotilla, and the actor in the video asserts that flotilla organizers in London rejected his group’s participation because they are gay. This did not happen, and there are LGBT and queer-identified activists participating in the flotilla.

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stan van houcke replied on

for dutch readers: i compared gershon to alice walker, both victims of discrimination. the big difference between both is that walker identifies herself with other victims, in this case the palestinian population suffering under zionist terror, whereas gershon tries to stigmatize the other victims who suffer in the occupied and besieged territories because they are not jewish.

http://zaplog.nl/zaplog/articl...
http://zaplog.nl/zaplog/articl...

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Roland Stuber replied on

Why is it everytime I hear something coming from "the Zionist corners of the world", (basically) a political lie?! I totally agree with Jenny Kastner's quote about Einstein (Albert E. predicted that Jewish nationalism would devolve into fascism. And here it is!)

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Hamburger Abendblatt replied on

Hamburger Abendblatt
Während der Libanonkrise im letzten Jahr ging niemand aus", sagt Omer Gershon, 33, Geschäftsführer des "Shalvata". "Und zwar genau drei Nächte. Dann war Tel Aviv wieder eine einzige Party.

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Sameer replied on

I'm HIGHLY curious about the XL Energy Drink video in which a man is beating a Muslim woman.

Is there a link to that video? What was it about?

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Sandra B replied on

As the far religious right gets an ever increasing hold on Israel as evidenced by what is happening in the military.life in Israel for the lbgt community will get very sticky in deed.So ohayak dont be making plans on moving to Israel ,for the TelAviv nightlife anytime soon.
The XL Energy drink commercial interesting i wonder what xl's sales to the muslim world are like.

Benjamin Doherty

Benjamin Doherty is a web developer.