Wikileaks has been embroiled in a further anti-Semitism storm by suggesting a Jewish minority owner of The Economist “controls” the magazine’s coverage.
The organisation run by exiled programmer Julian Assange tweeted the latest Economist cover with the caption: “The new sober cover of the Economist, which is controlled by Lynn de Rothschild.”
Writer Alex Von Tunzelmann highlighted a disturbing association between the tweet and a message of support from a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
David Duke, an ex Imperial Wizard of the KKK, had earlier tweeted a picture of Assange, writing: “America owes you, bigly! Thank you and God bless you!”
She wrote: “Ex-KKK leader sends message of adoring support to Wikileaks. Wikileaks respond by... tweeting antisemitism.”
The tweet has since been shared thousands of times.
Later explaining how Wikileaks’ tweet was anti-Semitic, Von Tunzelmann wrote: “Some people are questioning whether the Wikileaks tweet is antisemitic. In case anyone is sincerely wondering: yes, it is, & here’s why.
It’s not the first time Wikileaks has faced claims of anti-Semitism, as pointed out by Von Tunzelmann.
As early as 2011, Assange reportedly claimed there was a ‘Jewish’ conspiracy against him.
The association with Duke does nothing to lessen criticism that Wikileaks is somehow supporting Donald Trump’s campaign to become US president.
Duke is an avowed white supremacist prominent within conservative politics in America. He recently qualified to speak at the Louisiana Senate debate to be held at an historically black college.
In his tweet, the former Republican state representative and convicted criminal appeared to congratulate Wikileaks and Assange on their work so far in hacking the emails of prominent Clinton staff.
The so-called Podesta Files have been dumped onto the internet by Wikileaks in an effort to expose the workings of Clinton’s campaign.
John Podesta, the files’ primary target, is Clinton’s long-time associate and chairman of her 2016 campaign.