Italian celebrity chef questioned by antiterrorism unit over anti-Israel posts

Rubio has long been a controversial figure in Italy due to his outspoken criticism of Israeli policy and strong support for the Palestinian cause. Pro-Israeli groups have previously accused him of antisemitism, which Rubio denies. (X/File)
Rubio has long been a controversial figure in Italy due to his outspoken criticism of Israeli policy and strong support for the Palestinian cause. Pro-Israeli groups have previously accused him of antisemitism, which Rubio denies. (X/File)
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Italian celebrity chef questioned by antiterrorism unit over anti-Israel posts

Italian celebrity chef questioned by antiterrorism unit over anti-Israel posts
  • Gabriele Rubini, known as chef Rubio, was briefly detained and interrogated last week by authorities on charges of inciting racial hatred
  • An outspoken critic of Israel and strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, Rubio has long been prosecuted for his activism

LONDON: Italian celebrity chef Rubio, born Gabriele Rubini, has been questioned by Italy’s antiterrorism police and had his electronic devices seized over a series of social media posts critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

A vocal pro-Palestine activist, Rubio was briefly detained and interrogated last week by Digos — Italy’s antiterrorism division — on charges of inciting racial hatred, according to his friend and journalist Alberto Fazolo, who shared details of the case on Monday.

Fazolo said Rubio’s X account posts triggered the investigation, describing it as a “blitz” aimed at obtaining data from his online activity, an operation usually carried out by a different police unit.

“Death to diplomats complicit in the genocide that has been ongoing for 77 years, death to colonialism, supremacism, racism, and anti-Muslim hatred. Death therefore to Zionism and the Jewish colony. Long live Palestine and the native Palestinian Semites,” one of them read.

Fazolo said Rubio remains free but has lost access to his social media accounts and private messages during the investigation.

Authorities are reportedly reviewing his Telegram and Signal chats as part of the probe. His accounts remain publicly visible, but he is unable to use them.

“Gabriele is free, he is keen to assure you that he is well,” Fazolo said. “But for a while he will not have the opportunity to communicate through his channels or contact details.”

Rubio has long been a controversial figure in Italy due to his outspoken criticism of Israeli policy and strong support for the Palestinian cause. Pro-Israeli groups have previously accused him of antisemitism, which Rubio denies.

Earlier this year, he drew fresh backlash after urging his followers to submit war crimes complaints against Israeli Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, who was visiting Rome at the time.

In May 2024, Rubio was violently assaulted outside his home by six unidentified attackers armed with bricks and hammers, an attack his supporters linked to his activism.

Fazolo said Rubio has “been persecuted for years” due to his efforts to raise awareness about what he calls the “ethnic cleansing of Palestine.”


TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying’ BBC over Gaza coverage

TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying’ BBC over Gaza coverage
Updated 1 min 12 sec ago

TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying’ BBC over Gaza coverage

TV director accuses UK culture secretary of ‘bullying’ BBC over Gaza coverage
  • Peter Kosminsky likened the government’s actions to those of a “tinpot dictatorship”

LONDON: Acclaimed TV director Peter Kosminsky has accused UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy of attempting to “bully” the BBC over its coverage of the Gaza conflict.

In a strongly worded letter, Kosminsky — known for the BBC historical drama “Wolf Hall” — likened the government’s actions to those of a “tinpot dictatorship” and warned against sustained pressure on BBC Director General Tim Davie.

“Could I respectfully suggest that you stop trying to bully the BBC, the nation’s primary public service broadcaster, over its coverage of the war in Gaza,” wrote Kosminsky in the letter, reported by The Guardian.

He argued that politicians should not “police the individual editorial decisions of the BBC,” stressing the broadcaster must, above all, maintain public trust. His letter echoed warnings from veteran BBC figure Richard Ayre, who described Nandy’s direct intervention as “outrageous.”

Nandy has been a vocal critic of the BBC, pressuring the broadcaster to withdraw its Gaza documentary “How To Survive a Warzone” after it emerged the young narrator was the son of a Hamas official. She also criticized the broadcasting of a Glastonbury Festival segment featuring the punk-rap duo Bob Vylan chanting anti-IDF slogans.

“For its part, the BBC must ensure that its output is balanced. But this means balanced across the totality of its output,” said Kosminsky, cautioning that past conflicts between government and BBC had ended tragically and citing the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly in 2003.

Meanwhile, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has acknowledged recent “serious failures” at the BBC but framed Nandy’s criticism as justified accountability on behalf of license-fee payers. A spokesperson reiterated that editorial independence remained paramount.

The controversy comes amid crucial discussions over the BBC’s future funding and charter renewal, adding further pressure on its leadership — particularly Davie, who faces mounting scrutiny and internal dissatisfaction over perceived lapses in impartiality and editorial oversight.


AFP appeals for evacuation of freelance staff from Gaza amid starvation

AFP appeals for evacuation of freelance staff from Gaza amid starvation
Updated 23 July 2025

AFP appeals for evacuation of freelance staff from Gaza amid starvation

AFP appeals for evacuation of freelance staff from Gaza amid starvation
  • The French news agency said its freelancers face an “appalling situation”

JERUSALEM: Agence France-Presse called on Israel on Tuesday to allow the immediate evacuation of its freelance contributors and their families from the Gaza Strip, citing worsening living conditions and escalating risks to their safety.
In a statement, the French news agency said its freelancers faced an “appalling situation” in Gaza. A 21-month war with Israel has devastated the territory, a conflict triggered by Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel in October 2023.
“For months, we have been witnessing, powerless, the dramatic deterioration of their living conditions,” AFP said, adding that the situation had become untenable despite the “exemplary courage, professional commitment and resilience” of its local team.
The management statement came after AFP’s journalists’ association issued its own statement saying colleagues in Gaza risked dying of hunger.
AFP said it had succeeded in evacuating eight staff members and their families from Gaza between January and April 2024, after months of effort. It is now seeking to secure safe passage for its freelance Palestinian reporters, despite “the extreme difficulty of leaving a territory under strict blockade.”
The Israeli military and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AFP statement.
Israel has barred international journalists from entering Gaza since October 7, 2023. AFP said the work of its Palestinian freelancers remained crucial to informing the world, but said they now had to leave because of the risk to their lives.
Reuters also works with freelance journalists in Gaza.
“Reuters is deeply concerned about the health and safety of its freelancers in Gaza, with whom we are in daily contact. The extreme difficulty sourcing food is leading to their and all Gaza residents experiencing greater levels of hunger and illness,” a Reuters spokesperson said. “We are providing our contributors with additional financial support to help them and, should they wish to leave the territory, we will provide any assistance possible to help them get out.”


Egyptian activist locks nation’s embassy gates in The Hague to protest Gaza siege

Egyptian activist locks nation’s embassy gates in The Hague to protest Gaza siege
Updated 23 July 2025

Egyptian activist locks nation’s embassy gates in The Hague to protest Gaza siege

Egyptian activist locks nation’s embassy gates in The Hague to protest Gaza siege
  • Anas Habib accuses Cairo of Rafah crossing closure that prevents aid reaching starving Palestinians

AMSTERDAM: An Egyptian activist on Tuesday locked the outer gates of his country’s embassy in The Hague to protest Cairo’s alleged closure of the Rafah crossing which has prevented aid from entering Gaza for besieged Palestinians.

Livestreaming his actions, content creator and social media personality Anas Habib locked two sets of gates at the embassy with what appears to be bike locks.

Habib said his actions were symbolic and he wanted to draw attention to the ongoing siege of Gaza that was resulting in the starvation of Palestinians.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“It’s been two years of us hearing this same excuse, it’s closed from their side and not ours, they couldn’t handle a lie and a siege for one second, imagine how everyone in Gaza is feeling hearing your lies every day for the past two years,” he said.

“I’ll stay standing here until the police arrive, because I won’t open it until Gaza is opened. Let them break the lock themselves,” Habib said.

There has been no response yet from the Egyptian government to Habib’s actions and the video which has gone viral on social media.

Egypt has reportedly in the past pointed out that the Rafah crossing has been closed on the Gaza side by the Israeli military.


France FM urges foreign press access to Gaza

France FM urges foreign press access to Gaza
Updated 22 July 2025

France FM urges foreign press access to Gaza

France FM urges foreign press access to Gaza
  • Barrot urged an “immediate ceasefire” after Israel on Monday expanded military operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah
  • He spoke after the AFP news agency warned that the lives of Palestinian freelance journalists it was working with in Gaza were in danger

PARIS: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Tuesday urged Israel to allow foreign press into the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza, as warnings of famine mount after 21 months of war.
“I ask that the free and independent press be allowed to access Gaza to show what is happening there and to bear witness,” he told France Inter radio in an interview from eastern Ukraine.
He spoke after the AFP news agency warned that the lives of Palestinian freelance journalists it was working with in Gaza were in danger and urged Israel to allow them and their families to leave the occupied coastal territory.
Asked if France would help evacuate these stringers, Barrot said France was “addressing the issue.”
“We hope to be able to evacuate some collaborators of journalists in the coming weeks,” he said.
On Monday, a group of journalists at AFP called the Societe des Journalistes (Society of Journalists) sounded the alarm, urging “immediate intervention” to help reporters working with the agency in Gaza.
The SDJ cited the example of one such freelancer, a 30-year-old living with his family in Gaza city, who reported on Sunday that his older brother “fell because of hunger.”
AFP responded in a statement posted on X and Instagram.
“Since October 7, Israel has prohibited access to the Gaza Strip for all international journalists.
“In this context, the work of our Palestinian freelancers is crucial to inform the world,” it said.
“But their lives are in danger, which is why we urge the Israeli authorities to allow their immediate evacuation along with their families.”
AFP evacuated its eight staff members and families from Gaza between January and April 2024.
Barrot urged an “immediate ceasefire” after Israel on Monday expanded military operations to the central city of Deir el-Balah.
“There is no longer any justification for the Israeli army’s military operations in Gaza,” he said.
“This is an offensive that will exacerbate an already catastrophic situation and cause new forced displacements of populations, which we condemn in the strongest terms.”


Watchdog finds hundreds of Instagram, Facebook ads crowdfunding for Israeli military

Watchdog finds hundreds of Instagram, Facebook ads crowdfunding for Israeli military
Updated 21 July 2025

Watchdog finds hundreds of Instagram, Facebook ads crowdfunding for Israeli military

Watchdog finds hundreds of Instagram, Facebook ads crowdfunding for Israeli military
  • Eko’s investigation found at least 117 ads explicitly soliciting donations for equipment used by the IDF, including drones reportedly retrofitted with grenades and used in deadly attacks in Gaza

LONDON: Consumer watchdog Eko has uncovered hundreds of ads on Meta platforms — including Instagram and Facebook — that promote crowdfunding campaigns for the Israel Defense Forces, in apparent violation of the company’s own advertising policies.

The ads, run by pro-Israel groups, aim to raise funds for military equipment such as drones and tactical gear, despite Meta’s rules prohibiting the promotion of firearms and weapons-related content.

According to Eko’s research, at least 117 ads have been published since March 2025 explicitly soliciting donations for equipment used by the IDF. The ads, launched by two groups, targeted users in the US, UK and EU, and generated at least 76,000 impressions — the number of times an ad is displayed to users.

Combined, the campaigns raised more than $2.4 million through landing pages linked to the ads.

“We are the sniper team of Unit Shaked, stationed in Gaza, and we urgently need shooting tripods to complete our mission in Jabalia,” one Facebook ad read.

Eko said most of the ads raised funds for Autel EVO drones, the model that Israeli soldiers have reportedly retrofitted with grenades and used in deadly attacks in Gaza, including against children.

An investigation by Israeli outlet +972 Magazine recently revealed that Israel has acquired large numbers of Chinese-made Autel quadcopters — drones typically used for photography and available for purchase on Amazon — and adapted them to carry explosives.

“Most of our drones are broken and falling apart— and we don’t have any replacements,” another ad said. “Donate now — every second counts, every drone saves lives.”

While Eko noted it is unclear whether funds raised through the ads were directly used to purchase drones, IDF soldiers told +972 that they had received Autel drones through donations, fundraisers and Facebook groups.

One of the groups identified by Eko is the nonprofit Vaad Hatzedaka, which linked to a donation page listing equipment it was seeking to fund, including two Autel drones. As of this month, the campaign had raised more than $250,000 of its $300,000 goal.

Another campaign, launched by Israeli singer-songwriter Mayer Malik, claimed to have collected more than $2.2 million for the IDF.

Meta’s advertising policies explicitly ban content that promotes the sale or use of restricted goods such as weapons, ammunition and explosives.

“Meta is profiting from genocide — approving ads that help funnel millions of dollars toward killer drones and military gear likely used to murder Palestinians,” Vicky Wyatt, campaign director, said. “This isn’t just a moderation failure — it’s a business model built to reward whoever pays, no matter the harm.”

While Meta has removed some of the ads flagged in Eko’s latest report, the watchdog said the company has done little to address broader concerns raised during a previous investigation in December 2024. At the time, Eko flagged 98 similar ads, prompting takedowns, but Meta allowed the advertisers to return with near-identical campaigns.

The IDF itself is not directly running the fundraising campaigns.

The new findings come just days after a separate investigation by the Tech Transparency Project revealed that platforms including X and WhatsApp were being used as storefronts for weapons sales by arms dealers linked to Houthi militants in Yemen.

Eko warned that Meta’s approval of the IDF-linked ads may also breach the EU’s Digital Services Act, which requires platforms to remove content that violates national or EU laws.