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Israeli ‘information warfare’ specialists accused of meddling in France

RT News · · 1175 words · By Russia Today
Israeli Intelligence Influence Digital Manipulation Election interference
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.rt.com/news/640352-israel-interference-france-blackcore/

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 95% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
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Causal Oversimplification 75% confidence
Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.
warning
Transfer 80% confidence
Projecting positive or negative qualities of one thing onto another to make it accepted or rejected.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

26 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 16
check_circle Corroborated 4
info Single Source 4
verified Verified By Reference 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“French authorities are investigating an alleged election meddling plot by an Israeli “information warfare” company targeting candidates critical of the Jewish state.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results (Quds News Network, Reuters-linked reports) confirm that French authorities are investigating an Israeli-linked 'information warfare' firm for interference targeting candidates critical of Israel.
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web search NEUTRAL — France has launched an investigation into reports that an Israeli-linked “information warfare” firm ran a coordinated online interference operation targeting French mayoral candidates, using fake webs…
https://qudsnen.co/post?id=67727&slug=france-probes-israeli-…
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web search NEUTRAL — French authorities are investigating Israeli firm BlackCore for allegedly running a smear campaign targeting left-wing candidates ahead of March's municipal elections.
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-896109
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web search NEUTRAL — French authorities are investigating a possible foreign interference campaign targeting a left-wing party ahead of the March municipal elections.
https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/05/13/france-investigates-al…
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“Multiple intelligence agencies in France are investigating the work of BlackCore, an Israeli firm that allegedly carried out an interference campaign against three left-wing mayoral candidates in Marseille, Toulouse, and Roubaix in March”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources identify the firm as 'BlackCore' and specify the investigation into interference campaigns against left-wing mayoral candidates in France.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — After the defeat of France in 1940, a large black market developed in both German-occupied territory and the zone libre controlled by the Vichy regime. Diversions from official channels and clandestin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_market_in_wartime_France
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The history of the Jews in France deals with Jews and Jewish communities in France since at least the Early Middle Ages. France was a centre of Jewish learning in the Middle Ages, but persecution incr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_France
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The liberation of France (French: libération de la France) in the Second World War was accomplished through the combined military efforts of the Allied Powers including Free French forces in London an…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_of_France
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“All three candidates are members of France Unbowed (LFI), the party of left-wing presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results explicitly name Sébastien Delogu, François Piquemal, and David Guiraud as the targets and identify them as members of La France Insoumise (LFI), the party of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The anarchist companionship is the relationship system of the anarchist movement in Western Europe and a part of the world from the end of the 19th century onwards, encompassing both formal and inform…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchist_companionship
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — After the defeat of France in 1940, a large black market developed in both German-occupied territory and the zone libre controlled by the Vichy regime. Diversions from official channels and clandestin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_market_in_wartime_France
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — A coachbuilder is a person or organization that manufactures bodies for passenger-carrying vehicles. The trade of producing coachwork began with bodies for horse-drawn vehicles. Today it includes cust…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coachbuilder
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“In Marseille, Sebastien Delogu was accused of rape by a pseudonymous blogger named ‘Sophie’, while bogus Facebook profiles and QR code stickers plastered around the city boosted the story.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the candidates are identified, the provided evidence for Sebastien Delogu discusses his profession, a police assault, and a defamation suit, but does not mention the specific 'Sophie' blogger or the QR code/Facebook smear campaign.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A taxicab driver by profession, Delogu rose to prominence in 2016 after becoming the spokesperson for taxicab drivers in Marseille during their strike against Uber.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sébastien_Delogu
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web search NEUTRAL — Breaking news report of an incident where Sebastien Delogu, a deputy from LFI, was attacked by a plainclothes policeman in Marseille. Delogu intervened to prevent passersby from assaulting the officer…
https://www.tiktok.com/@media_express1/video/740857250053310…
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web search NEUTRAL — • Aix-Marseille Provence sued Sébastien Delogu for defamation after his corruption accusations. • Delogu claimed a corrupt patronage system exists for jobs and housing in the metropolitan area. • He a…
https://franceinenglish.com/p/marseille-mp-sebastien-delogu-…
info
“AI-generated ‘nudes’ of Delogu were also circulated online, along with captions mocking his support for Palestine.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results provide general information about AI nude generators but do not contain any evidence that such images of Sebastien Delogu were actually circulated.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Cloth Off AI produces lifelike nude images in seconds, thanks to cutting-edge algorithms. You’ll see natural skin tones, realistic shading, and flawless body detail — all generated almost instantly. N…
https://www.myimg.ai/clothoff-ai
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — AI Image Generator. Generate AI-enhanced images with customizable poses, clothing, and body parameters.UndressHer is the #1 AI undress app. Remove clothes from photos instantly with advanced AI techno…
https://undressherapp.org/tools/image-generator
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Instantly undress and animate images into nude photos or videos with UndressMe AI — the free AI nude & video maker everyone loves.
https://undressme.ai/comparison
info
“Bot-boosted profiles posted disparaging stories about Francois Piquemal in Toulouse and David Guiraud in Roubaix.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms the identities of Piquemal and Guiraud, but does not provide evidence of bot-boosted profiles posting disparaging stories about them.
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web search NEUTRAL — François Piquemal is a French politician and educator who was elected to represent the Haute-Garonne's 4th constituency in the 2022 legislative election.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Piquemal
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web search NEUTRAL — By posing with Médine, François Piquemal illustrates a closeness between a section of the radical left and figures from the Islamo-leftist movement.
https://entrevue.fr/en/france/le-depute-lfi-francois-piquema…
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web search NEUTRAL — Votez pour François Piquemal à Toulouse, qui propose de suspendre le jumelage avec Tel-Aviv pour la solidarité internationale. La réaction de Meyer Habib après avoir PERDU son procès face à David Guir…
https://www.tiktok.com/@glupatate/video/7615694030214712598
info
“One page accused Piquemal of pedophilia, while another site portrayed LFI as the party of “Sharia law” and “a more Muslim France.””
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for this claim returned generic dictionary definitions and gaming websites, providing no evidence regarding accusations of pedophilia or Sharia law.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Play free online games at Poki, the #1 website for instant web games. Explore exclusive titles, popular favorites, and new game releases every day - no download needed!
https://poki.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Play free online games at CrazyGames, the best place to play high-quality browser games. We add new games every day. Have fun!
https://www.crazygames.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — ONLINE definition: 1. Online products, services, or information can be bought or used on the internet: 2. relating to…. Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/online
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“An investigation by France’s Liberation newspaper and Israel’s Haaretz revealed on May 18 that BlackCore was behind the influence operation.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that an investigation by Libération and Haaretz linked BlackCore to the influence operation.
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web search NEUTRAL — BlackCore’s influencer operation. Haaretz said that once discovered, whoever was running the operation tried “to scrub their tracks, deleting avatars and websites, but digital traces remained online”.…
https://www.thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2026/05/19/bl…
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web search NEUTRAL — Reuters reviewed BlackCore documents in which the company claimed credit for a separate social media operation carried out on behalf of an African government. The documents were undated but referred t…
https://politiko.com.ph/2026/05/14/blackcore-french-foreign-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Investigative reporting by Libération and Haaretz traced BlackCore-linked infrastructure to a London-hosted server cluster active from roughly March 2025 until 13 May 2026, when the system was scrubbe…
https://21stcenturywire.com/2026/05/15/blackcore-israels-cyb…
verified
“Black Cube... Founded by two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) intelligence veterans, Black Cube counts on its International Advisory Board two former Mossad directors, a former Israeli Police commissioner, and the former chief of Israel’s National Security Council.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The claim is directly confirmed by a cross-reference from RT News detailing the founders and the composition of the International Advisory Board.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Black Cube was founded by two IDF intelligence veterans, and counts on its International Advisory Board two former Mossad directors, a former Israeli Police commissioner, and the former chief of Israe…
https://www.rt.com/news/639159-israel-spies-eu-pegasus/
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“Earlier this year, Black Cube interfered in elections in Cyprus and Slovenia, covertly recording associates of both countries’ leaders discussing petty corruption within their parties.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support the claim regarding interference in Cyprus and Slovenia.
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“Black Cube’s Cypriot operation led to multiple resignations and tarnished President Nikos Christodoulides’ reputation as Cyprus assumed the EU’s rotating presidency in January.”
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“Two months later in Slovenia, the company almost succeeded in tipping parliamentary elections against Prime Minister Robert Golob’s ‘Svoboda’ party, which held onto power by a mere 0.67% of the vote.”
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“Black Cube has admitted to working against Christodoulides, and has not denied interfering in Slovenia.”
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“In Slovenia and Cyprus, however, the EU’s GDPR regulations prohibit such recording.”
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“BlackCore claims that it has been active for 15 years, has more than 50 clients, and has a “100% success rate””
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“Haaretz’s investigation revealed that there is no legal entity called BlackCore registered in any country in the world”
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“BlackCore’s website was registered anonymously last August”
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“Haaretz did discover that BlackCore shares its web infrastructure with Galacticos and SNI, two Israeli firms, owned by tech entrepreneur Guy Geyor and lawyer Doron Afik.”
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“some of the tools used by BlackCore to generate fake social media accounts were created by Galacticos and hosted on an SNI server in London.”
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“Geyor’s and Afik’s companies employ “people with a background in intelligence,” including at least one Galacticos employee who served in Unit 8200”
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“The investigation also tied BlackCore to Yigal Unna, the former head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate.”
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“Netanyahu’s government has tied export licenses for Israeli spyware – including NSO Group’s ‘Pegasus’ malware, Cytrox’s ‘Predator’, and a similar program developed by Paragon Solutions – to the end user’s support for Israel.”
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“Delogu withdrew from the second round of the Marseille election to avoid splitting the left-wing vote.”
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“Guiraud won in Roubaix, but Piquemal... narrowly lost the Toulouse mayoral contest in a runoff vote.”
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“Speaking in parliament on May 20, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed that the government will take “legal action” against the firm.”
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“Israel’s Foreign Ministry denies any knowledge of BlackCore or its work.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.