YouTube Videos In Urdu On Gaza Conflict Foster Hate Against Jews, Advocate: Pakistani Soldiers In Turkish Military Uniform Could Wage War Against Israel – As Seen In Nagorno-Karabakh War Against Armenia

During the Gaza conflict of May 2021 and in the months around it, Urdu-language YouTube channels have uploaded a series of propaganda and so-called "fake news" videos targeting Israel. While some of these videos included content that was indeed partially fake, many of the videos delved into the intricacies of international relations between the nation-states of the Middle East and offered deep insight into Pakistani public opinion.

Many of the videos were filled with prejudice and hate toward Jews and called for jihad against Israel. While criticism of Israel can be justified, these YouTube influencers did not differentiate between Israel and Jews. Some of these videos, though not directly related with the Gaza conflict, were published to turn public attention toward Israel and voice support for Pakistan's military involvement in the conflict.

Some commentators in these videos also revealed that Turkey and Pakistan were in talks over a likely military cooperation against Israel along the lines of their trilateral military cooperation with Azerbaijan against Armenian forces during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, suggesting that Pakistani soldiers could wear Turkish military uniforms in a land war against Israel.[1] 

Khoji TV: "The Pakistan Army Has Also Issued A Threat To Destroy Israel In 20 Minutes"

Khoji TV channel says Pakistan's Shaheen missile can attack Israel in 20 minutes

"Asia Asif Info," a YouTube channel whose location is shown as Saudi Arabia, posted a video in which a female commentator observed: "The relationship between Pakistan and Palestine is not new. This is a very old relationship. Jews are also scared of Pakistan because of this relationship, and they are scared because the relationship between Palestine and Pakistan goes back to before the establishment of Pakistan [in 1947]. Here, the Muslims of the Subcontinent, of Pakistan-India, of Pakistan, had been advocating for the Palestinian cause before the establishment of Pakistan."[2]

"Khabar Gaam," a YouTube channel with more than 820,000 subscribers, said in a video that Israeli planes enter Pakistani airspace to go into Afghanistan.[3] Hassaan Hashmi, the channel's host, claimed: "As per [unidentified] sources, aircraft take off from within the boundaries of Israel, enter Pakistani air space, and from Pakistani air space go into Afghanistan. This news is very startling and also big."[4] The video is titled in Urdu: "Israel's fighter plane enters Pakistani borders – preparations begin for big war."[5]

"Khoji TV," a YouTube channel with more than two million subscribers, said that "helpless Palestinians are calling the Pakistan army for help" and asked: "Has the Pakistan army too expedited preparations for eliminating Israel from the face of the earth?"[6] A background commentator observed: "As per unconfirmed sources, the Pakistan army has also issued a threat to destroy Israel in 20 minutes" – due to alleged fears that Israel could attack Pakistan.[7] The video is titled: "Pak[istan] army is ready to target Israel's rockets in 20 min[ute]s."[8]

The channel identifies its "CEO's: name as Talha Labib, while it is narrated by one Majid Malik. The commentator noted that Pakistan army chief Gen. Qamar Bajwa's visit in early May 2021 to Saudi Arabia proved to be a "death for all Islam-enemy nations, including America and Israel" and its fruits are becoming visible subsequently. "Its biggest benefit was," he added, "that Saudi Arabia refused to recognize Israel."[9] He also asked: "Has the time come for the final war between the Muslims and the Jews?"[10]

Dr. Israr Ahmad: "After martyring Al-Aqsa mosque, who will be Israel's next target?"

One of the videos published by Khoji TV, viewed by over 900,000 people as of May 31, 2021, is titled "How Pakistani Shaheen IA missiles break Israeli anti-missile system." The video argues that Pakistan's Shaheen IA missiles are especially developed to target India and Israel.[11] "Viewers, if we talk about the illegitimate state of Israel, then it has right from the beginning been undertaking dirty steps against Pakistan, while its friend India is also considered the eternal enemy of Pakistan," the commentator said.[12]

The Khoji TV commentator rejected the expert view that Pakistani missiles cannot reach Israel. "Pakistan has not only made the Israeli missile defense system ineffective, but Pakistan has the capability to destroy Israel in only 12 minutes [sic],"[13] he said, adding that such a missile will travel through the air space of Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, which lack a missile defense system with which to intercept them.

"This is the reason that if Israel fears any country, that country is only and only Pakistan. Because, except Pakistan, Israel has pleasant relations with Turkey and the Arab states, whereas Iran, not being an atomic power, cannot attack Israel [but Pakistan, being a nuclear power state, can]," he noted.[14]

The commentator added: "The Jewish nation has been the enemy of Muslims for centuries. Allah says in the Koran that Jews can never be the friends of Muslims."[15] He added: "Today, all praise be to Allah, Pakistan has become so capable that it can make not only Israel, but India too lick dust on the battlefield. In reality, the Zionist occupier government of Israel believes in terminating Muslims from their roots. Therefore, Pakistan's atomic bomb, strong military, and defense industry needle the eyes of Israel."[16]

Islamic Scholar Israr Ahmad Quoted As Saying: "Jews' Biggest Strength Is Evil Genius – [They Are An] Extremely Genius Nation, All Great Philosophers Are Jews, All Great Scientists Are Jews, And Then Among Them There Is Intrigue, Saazish [Conspiracy]"

"Dr. Israr Ahmad Official" – a YouTube channel that promotes the speeches of late Pakistani Islamic scholar Israr Ahmad and has more than two million subscribers – republished a series of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel speeches he has delivered in the past.

The channel posted a video titled "Al-Aqsa Mosque Will Be Demolished" on May 23, 2021, two days after a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect.[17]

"Such TV Urdu" suggested a Karabakh-like Turkish-Pakistani military role against Israel

The video quoted a speech that Israr Ahmad delivered 30 years ago in which he warned that the Al-Aqsa mosque would be demolished during big wars, and "this is going to come very soon, you know, the Holocaust, and the Malahim – Kitab-ul-Malahim, a full chapter in the books of the ahadith [sayings of Muhammad] about the wars which are going to come very soon."[18]

Israr Ahmad says in the video that Muhammad, the founder of Islam, had named it "Al-Malhamat-ul-Uzma, the Greatest War."[19] Urging Arab states to defend the Ummah, he adds: "[The] nucleus of this Ummah is consisting of Arabs, the Ummiyeen. The non-Arab Muslims, they constitute the electrons that are surrounding this nucleus. The responsibility of the Arabs is much greater than the responsibility of other Muslims [to protect Jerusalem]."[20]

The channel posted another video of a speech by Israr Ahmad titled: "After Martyring Al-Aqsa Mosque, Who Will Be Israel's Next Target?"[21] In the video, Israr Ahmad says that the Ottomans did not allow the Jews to settle in Palestine, abiding by the orders of Umar ibn Khattab, the second caliph of Islam, and therefore the Jews worked to bring about the end of the Ottoman caliphate itself.[22]

In a post dated May 21, 2021, Israr Ahmad answered a key question that is also the title of the video: "Why are the Jews so powerful?"[23] He says: "The Jews' biggest strength is evil genius – [they are an] extremely genius nation, all great philosophers are Jews, all great scientists are Jews, and then among them there is intrigue, saazish [conspiracy], planning; such capabilities are limitless."[24] He also notes that the second strength of Jews is their being in "a smaller number" because when a nation is large, it becomes passive, whereas a minority is active and integrated.[25]

"Such TV Urdu": "If Turkey Carries Out Airstrikes On Israel, Then You Will See Pakistani Pilots Sitting In Those Fighter Jets" – Much Like In The Nagorno-Karabakh War

During the Gaza conflict, "Such TV Urdu" – a YouTube channel with 162,000 subscribers – published a video in which the commentator said: "The situation has turned extremely serious. All of Israel is shaken up at this time. If you look at the skies of Israel, rockets are being seen flying everywhere. [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is in extreme panic."[26]

And then the commentator stated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is angry and is trying to wake the Islamic Ummah.[27] "[Erdoğan] has also contacted Pakistan. And now it appears that a situation like that of Nagorno-Karabakh is about to emerge," he said in reference to the Turkish-Pakistani military collaboration witnessed during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.[28] This Turkish-Pakistani military collaboration was the key that helped Azerbaijan defeat the Armenian military in that conflict.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the commentator said, assured Turkish President Erdoğan that Pakistan would support whatever steps he took in supporting Hamas during the Gaza conflict.[29] Noting that Israel is shaken up due to Pakistan's actions during the Gaza conflict, he disparaged Muslim leaders who limit themselves to merely "condemning" Israel and explored in full detail the ramifications of the likely Pakistani military support in Gaza.[30]

The commentator, speaking when the Gaza conflict was underway on May 12, observed in the video: "How will Pakistan play its role in this [Gaza conflict]. If Turkey carries out airstrikes on Israel, then you will see Pakistani pilots sitting in those fighter jets. If Turkey's military fights a land war against Israel, then you will see Pakistani soldiers fighting in Turkish military uniform. The scene will be much like it happened in the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. And Pakistan can only do this, and only this is the most dangerous way."[31] Such a historical parallel exists: Pakistani pilots went to Syria and fought against Israel in 1967.

"Such TV Urdu" video says Pakistan's Shaheen III missiles can eliminate Israel.

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"Pakistan has broken up big superpowers in this manner," the commentator said, adding that Turkey, being a big economy, can fight openly but Pakistan fears economic sanctions, thereby necessitating the need to play its role against Israel within the domain of deniability.[32]

He added: "[Targeting Israel] could be done by four Ghauri missiles. If four Shaheen III missiles are launched, even Israel's name will not be found in the world. And the air defense system they have, we have seen it, could not stop those rockets that Hamas is firing. In fact, there is no need for waging war against Israel. There is no need for airstrikes either. You launch a few missiles, Israel's name will be obliterated from this world."[33]

On May 17, four days before the ceasefire took effect in Gaza, "Such TV Urdu" published another video in which the commentator said he would reveal "what Turkey, Malaysia, and Pakistan are about to do that has America in so much terror" that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi.[34] He noted that Erdoğan suggested the formation of an international peacekeeping force, which Turkey, Pakistan, and Malaysia fully supported, making America sleepless.[35] In another video published on May 29, this YouTube channel noted that, next to Israel, the Pakistani and Egyptian armed forces had begun joint military exercises known as the Guardian of The Sky-1.[36]

TV Host Noor-ul-Arfeen Siddiqui Urges Jihad Against Israel: "Allah Has Ordered, 'Step Out To Wage Jihad In The Path Of Allah, Whether It Is Easy Or Difficult For You'"

"Bol News," a YouTube channel with more than 2.5 million subscribers, belongs to Pakistani television network Bol TV. On May 16, in the wake of the Israeli attack on a building in Gaza, it broadcast a program in which the host Noor-ul-Arfeen Siddiqui began: "Before I open my lips, let me tell what guidance this Book of Allah, the pious Koran, offers to the faithful. What the Book of Allah says in Chapter Taubah with regard to jihad. Whatever I speak today I will say as a Muslim. I do not associate with any book of international relations. I do not accept any lesson on the national interest [of Pakistan]."[37]

"At this moment, on your television screen some verses of the Chapter Taubah are present, their translations are present... These tell you what Allah has ordered, 'Step out to wage jihad in the path of Allah, whether it is easy or difficult for you.' This is the order from the Book of Allah for all Muslim men and women," Siddiqui said.[38]

Bol News host Noor-ul-Arfeen Siddiqui cited Koranic verse: "Step out in the path of jihad"

Several prominent persons took part in the program. Siddiqui's line of questioning was whether the Pakistani government would allow Pakistani fighter planes to take off to strike Israel and questioned the "Islamic" nature of Arab states for not stopping the supply of oil to Israel.[39]

On the program, retired Brigadier Ghazanfar Ali, who participated as an expert, advocated enmity against Israel while noting that the Koran has "categorically told Muslim states and Muslim leaders not to share their secrets with the Jews."[40] Also speaking on the program, Syeda Abida Hussain, a former Pakistani ambassador to the United States, called upon Muslim states for the boycott of Israeli products.[41]

Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, a politician from the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party of Prime Minister Imran Khan, noted that Pakistani pilots shot down Israeli planes during the Six-Day War. Khan told the program: "Geographically, we are sitting far from them [Israel]. Geographically, Syria is near them. Who has closer relations with Syria – even in the War of 1967, we had made them see stars during the day when our pilots had gone and shot down their planes. The Arabs did not have that capability...."[42]

On May 28, a week after the Gaza ceasefire took effect, a video was posted by "New Global Facts," a YouTube channel with 181,000 subscribers. It has a running commentary: "Muslim countries begin joining hands against Israel; efforts by Pakistan and Turkey succeed; the plan by Imran Khan and Tayyip Erdoğan becomes effective; it became costly for Israel to entangle with Palestine; Islamic countries decide in favor of Palestine; after the liberation of Palestine, our next target is Kashmir."[43]

* Tufail Ahmad is a Senior Fellow at MEMRI.