Syrian-born Jewish attorney Abraham Hamra (Screenshot/YouTube)
Abraham Hamra says Al Jazeera defamed him by falsely claiming he was compensated by the Israeli government to promote a Gaza aid visit.
By World Israel News Staff
A Syrian-born Jewish man who fled his homeland due to Islamic antisemitism is suing Qatar-controlled news outlet Al Jazeera after it published a false report claiming he was paid by Israel to promote humanitarian efforts in Gaa.
Abraham Hamra, a New York attorney with deep family roots in Damascus, filed a $1 million lawsuit against the network after it posted a video to its Arabic-language Instagram page alleging that he had received compensation from the Israeli government to visit food distribution sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The video, posted by Al Jazeera Arabic, showed Hamra — a pro-Israel influencer and relative of Syria’s last chief rabbi — visiting GHF facilities.
The nonprofit, founded by the U.S. and Israeli governments, provides food and essential aid to civilians in Gaza. Text overlaid on the video alleged Hamra was paid by Israel for both the trip and for promoting it on social media.
“This accusation is false in its entirety. Plaintiff has never received any payment, compensation, or financial incentive from the Israeli government or any affiliated entity for visiting aid sites in Gaza,” the lawsuit stated, according to a copy obtained by The Algemeiner.
“The visit by Plaintiff related to Israel and Gaza was undertaken independently, in his personal capacity, on his own dime, as an advocate for his community and to bear witness against misinformation,” the complaint added.
Hamra argued that Al Jazeera’s false claims could implicate that he had violated the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The post also sparked an online wave of antisemitic harassment targeting him for supposed ties to Israel.
The insinuation that Hamra had violated the law is particularly egregious, considering his profession in the legal field, he added.
Al Jazeera has not yet responded publicly to the lawsuit. The outlet has a long history of spreading false claims about Israel and promoting antisemitic narratives.
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