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The One Where the IDF’s ‘Friends’ Tweet Backfires, Exposing the Horrors of Israeli Occupation
Twitter users, both friends and foes alike, were quick to point out that the tweet was less than tasteful.
(TMU) — The Twitter account belonging to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) seems bent on improving the image of the state of Israel’s military forces and often goes to inappropriate lengths to do so.
In their latest attempt to make the internet laugh while their forces simultaneously wreak havoc on occupied Palestine, the IDF tweeted out a video coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the American sitcom Friends.
The 15 second tweet, which can be summarized as an epic backfire, shows a group of young and seemingly attractive soldiers happen upon each other in front of a fountain, much like the intro to Friends, which was first broadcast on September 22, 1994.
“Our soldiers couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate #Friends25 than celebrating… with friends,” the tweet read.
F•R•I•E•N•D•S
Our soldiers couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate #Friends25 than celebrating…with friends ? pic.twitter.com/kYsTjAoAAH
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 22, 2019
The IDF runs a pretty intense marketing campaign—referred to by some as a pure propaganda—that more often than not includes images and videos of mostly female, young and attractive soldiers.
A quick Google image search makes the Israel Defense Forces look a lot more fun than it is deadly and destructive.
Twitter users, both friends and foes alike, were quick to point out that the tweet was less than tasteful.
I support you but you don’t need this. You really don’t. Stop. Be soldiers.
— Tommy Atkins. (@david_morris47) September 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/esorfasal/status/1175875250514534400
Multiple Twitter users who appear to be familiar with Friends got creative with their critiques of the tweet, playing with the episode titling of the popular sitcom, whose titles always begin with “The One With..” or “The One Where..”
love the one where chandler fires white phosphorous into a hospital
— wheels (@wheelswordsmith) September 22, 2019
The one where Phoebe shot a schoolgirl at a checkpoint.
The one where Joey fired a rocket into an arab child’s head.
The one where Rachel shelled boys playing football on a beach.
The one where Monica bulldozed a village.
The one where Ross dropped white phosphorous on a playpark— Two Flames (@msjenniferjames) September 22, 2019
The one where they shoot a kid in the back
— lucius venator (@LuciusVenator) September 22, 2019
the one when they commit war crimes
— Axl Rose Emoji Mk.II (@BurnACopCar) September 22, 2019
The One Where Ross Shoots A Medic And Laughs About It On Tape
— Bill Maher’s Hairline (@JeffandWill) September 22, 2019
The One Where Joey Commits Apartheid
— Ned Lobster (@JoshJDee) September 22, 2019
the one with ethnic cleansing
— sealoace ?? (@sealoace) September 22, 2019
Others made their point using Friends gifs.
I got a promotion! I got a promotion! You’re looking at the new platoon leader for school house demolitions! pic.twitter.com/Z57biCMIYO
— rafael (@rafaelshimunov) September 23, 2019
How can they say everything is bad that we do….
When our soldiers celebrate the LGBTQ… pic.twitter.com/a4BOPZuVI8
— rafael (@rafaelshimunov) September 23, 2019
— ?IPM?#ClimateStrike (@IPM_HQ) September 22, 2019
— Joe ✊?#ClimateStrike✊? Kennedy III is a narc (@MikerSampson) September 23, 2019
Monica, what’s the youngest Palestinian you’ve dragged to prison for torture? pic.twitter.com/zsuB23gZA4
— rafael (@rafaelshimunov) September 23, 2019
And others shared news articles, videos, and links highlighting the IDF’s crimes.
#IDFriends pic.twitter.com/QGH1Pnd7Va
— LastAmericanVagabond (@TLAVagabond) September 23, 2019
The One With The Human Rights Violations pic.twitter.com/mQM8nyKRcp
— Lula is a political prisoner. (@AliMortell) September 22, 2019
Is that the episode where they drop white phosphorous on a school, or the one where they bomb 17 hospitals, 58 primary healthcare facilities & 56 ambulances? pic.twitter.com/sraZ7Fz1ou
— Kevin Hughes (@M0sstr00per) September 23, 2019
Friends:https://t.co/utdPjwwncT
— rafael (@rafaelshimunov) September 23, 2019
What a pity you engage every day in the destruction of #Palestine and its people…
as part of Israel’s uninterrupted program of Colonization, Dispossession, Expulsion, Annexation of lands & resources, Military Occupation, Apartheid & siege@UNHumanRights @CIJ_ICJ @hrw @amnesty pic.twitter.com/tmaNALyZ6f— James Dunne (@jamesinparis) September 23, 2019
#IDFriends pic.twitter.com/UxqcIOHxtO
— LastAmericanVagabond (@TLAVagabond) September 23, 2019
That one where they killed four #friends who were playing on the beach. pic.twitter.com/ngB0eGXTdk
— emma (@bymyelf) September 23, 2019
This isn’t the first time a marketing campaign out of Israel made the wrong kind of waves.
In May, Eurovision Israel produced a cringeworthy satirical video that understandably elicited a largely negative response.
? This is the land of honey, honey!
Let Lucy and Elia take you in a musical journey throughout the most important parts of Israel. We promise you won't regret it! ??? pic.twitter.com/djQlNXPoDe
— KAN Eurovision Israel (@kaneurovision) May 10, 2019
Unfortunately for Israel, concealing the crimes of an apartheid state actively engaged in unchecked genocide through crafty social media campaigns doesn’t seem easy—or possible.
With images and video of Israel’s war crimes at their fingertips, the internet doesn’t appear poised to let the country get away with making light the brutal reality faced daily by Palestinians.
By Emma Fiala | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
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