As the United States approaches the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the nonprofit CyberWell has documented a fresh wave of antisemitic conspiracy posts online. Founder and CEO Tal‑Or Cohen Montemayor told The Center Square that the resurgence of these narratives is part of a broader pattern of scapegoating the Jewish people for major tragedies.
Conspiracy narratives persist
According to CyberWell, dozens of recent posts on platforms such as Meta, Reddit and TikTok falsely claim that Jews were secretly responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Some posts allege that the leaseholder of the World Trade Center, who is Jewish, had prior knowledge of the attacks. Others revive the debunked “Dancing Israelis” story, which suggested that Israeli men were celebrating the tragedy.
CyberWell noted that certain users employ coded symbols, such as a juice‑box emoji—a phonetic play on the word “Jews”—to evade automated moderation. Other posts pair 9/11 imagery with the hateful “Happy Merchant” caricature, further spreading the false narrative.
Harassment and hate online
The nonprofit’s release also highlighted direct harassment, with some accounts accusing individual Jews of involvement in the attacks and using slurs such as “kike.” Cohen Montemayor warned that repeated exposure to these narratives can normalize hostility, leading to real‑world threats and violence against Jewish individuals and communities.
Pattern extends to other events
CyberWell’s research shows that the 9/11 conspiracy is not an isolated case. The organization has documented similar antisemitic scapegoating surrounding the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, the 2025 Minneapolis shooting, a hantavirus outbreak, the migrant crisis in Ceuta, and recent wildfires in Europe, Los Angeles and Argentina. In each instance, false claims blame Jews for causing, orchestrating, or profiting from the events.
“Blaming Jews for major tragedies reinforces the longstanding antisemitic trope that Jews are a secretive and powerful group responsible for society’s problems,” Cohen Montemayor said. “By exploiting major tragedies to deepen distrust and division, these narratives can destabilize societies, sow hatred and can lead to violence.”
Why the resurgence matters
Unlike many event‑driven hate narratives that fade after the news cycle, the 9/11 conspiracy has endured for decades, becoming a reference point for newer antisemitic stories. CyberWell warns that the persistence of these false claims threatens both online discourse and public safety.
Efforts to combat the spread of such hate include improved moderation tools and community education, but the nonprofit stresses that vigilance is essential. When these narratives are amplified, they not only distort historical truth but also create a hostile environment for Jewish Americans.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
