Israeli firm BlackCore suspected of meddling in New York and Scotland votes
An Israeli private intelligence firm, BlackCore, is alleged to have run disinformation and smear campaigns targeting elections in New York City, Scotland and elsewhere, prompting concern over how Israeli-linked “influence for hire” outfits operate worldwide. Commenters connect this to a broader ecosystem of Israeli spyware and political consulting companies, as well as powerful pro-Israel lobbies like AIPAC and UK party-affiliated groups, arguing that these together give Israel outsized leverage over other countries’ politics. Others draw parallels to Russian interference efforts and debate where legitimate criticism of Israeli state actions ends and antisemitism begins, with some Israelis expressing shame and frustration at their government’s role and international image.
Reactions to BlackCore’s Alleged Election Meddling
- Many see the story as unsurprising, fitting a pattern of Israeli private “dirty tricks” and spyware firms (NSO, Black Cube, etc.).
- Several Israelis in the thread describe the news as shameful and say they were unaware of BlackCore; at least one expresses interest in protesting.
- Others doubt French diplomatic responses will have teeth, expecting only denials and “mystery” from Israel.
- Confusion appears between BlackCore and Black Cube; users clarify they are distinct firms, both accused of foreign political interference.
Israeli Tech, Spyware, and Moral Legitimacy
- Multiple comments argue Israel has a disproportionate number of firms focused on surveillance, malware, and disinformation, allegedly leveraging skills developed in the IDF and occupation.
- Others counter that Israel also has many benign or beneficial tech startups (biotech, green tech, infrastructure), but these get less media attention.
- There is debate over whether “good” Israeli tech should more loudly distance itself from military/spy sectors or whether that’s unfairly demanded.
- Some equate Israel’s role as a global supplier of repression tech (Pegasus, disinfo, etc.) to a modern “Nazi Germany” or apartheid South Africa; others object to what they see as overuse or dilution of “genocide” and Nazi analogies.
Foreign Lobbying and Election Influence
- Commenters compare Israel’s influence operations to Russia’s (disinfo, social media manipulation, cultivating politicians and think tanks).
- AIPAC and related US lobbying organizations feature heavily: some frame them as ordinary American political groups; others see them as de facto foreign influence with outsized power and spending.
- Data on foreign lobbying spend is shared, noting that Israel is not the highest spender, but critics say this omits domestically funded pro‑Israel groups.
- UK examples (Elbit Systems, Conservative/Labour Friends of Israel, prosecutions of protesters) are cited as parallel soft-power strategies.
Broader Political and Identity Debates
- Long subthreads debate Zionism (religious vs secular nationalism), the historical creation of Israel (colonialism vs post‑Holocaust refuge), and whether the state’s founding was legitimate.
- Sharp disagreements over whether Israeli public opinion “supports genocide,” what counts as genocide vs expulsion, and parallels with post‑9/11 anti‑Muslim sentiment.
- Antisemitism vs criticism of Israel is heavily contested: some report increased antisemitic abuse; others argue accusations of antisemitism are overused to deflect criticism.
Meta: HN, Politics, and Censorship
- Multiple users predict or note heavy flagging, arguing controversial Israel topics are disproportionately suppressed.
- Others respond that the thread is political “rage bait” with little technical detail, hence off‑charter for HN, while some defend the tech–politics intersection as on‑topic.