Justin Bieber sparks controversy with Gaza photo and ‘Praying for Israel’ caption
LONDON: In a recent social media blunder, pop sensation Justin Bieber faced widespread criticism for posting a photo of the devastated city of Gaza alongside a caption expressing solidarity with Israel.
The Canadian singer inadvertently shared a picture depicting a heavily damaged section of the Gaza Strip, dating back to May 2021, in a now-deleted Instagram post, a mistake exposed by fact-checking website Alt News.
Bieber swiftly removed the misleading image and replaced it with a plain background while retaining the message “Praying for Israel.”
The incident sparked outrage among his fans and the general public, with social media users accusing him of ignorance and suggesting that he shared the photo merely to garner attention.
One user on X pointed out the irony, stating: “Justin Bieber posting ‘praying for Israel’ and the pic is from Gaza. Irony.”
Another user by the name of Lya criticized celebrities for hastily reposting content without verifying its accuracy, stating: “Another example of celebrities knowing absolutely nothing and reposting the first thing they see.”
Following the backlash, the 29-year-old singer took to Instagram to clarify his stance, expressing that he does not intend to vilify either Palestinians or Israelis.
He emphasized that he wished to stand in solidarity with families affected by the conflict.
Bieber is not the sole celebrity to have faced scrutiny for sharing misleading information while expressing concern about the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
In a comparable incident, Oscar-winning actor Jamie Lee Curtis inadvertently shared a photo on Instagram with the caption “Terror from the skies” and an Israeli flag, only to remove it when followers alerted her that the image actually depicted children from Gaza.
