Israel as the scapegoat for a Spanish train tragedy - opinion

An opinion piece by CAMERA Español's manager criticizes Spanish public broadcaster RTVE for allowing a commentator to suggest an Israeli connection to the October 28 train collision near Urda that killed 69 people, arguing the platforming of baseless conspiracy theories reflects broader anti-Israel bias and undermines journalism.

An opinion piece by Masha Gabriel, manager of CAMERA Español, criticizes Spanish public broadcaster RTVE for allowing commentator José Miguel Villarroya to suggest an Israeli connection to the October 28 high-speed train collision near Urda, Toledo, that killed 69 people. The article notes that Villarroya, a historian known for hostility toward Israel, alleged that a French company linked to Israeli capital conducted railway safety testing and invoked supposed threats by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Spain. The piece states that RTVE's fact-checking department later debunked the claims, but argues that the broadcaster's decision to air the speculation reflects a broader pattern of anti-Israel framing. The article warns that when prejudice becomes part of the information landscape, audiences are predisposed to believe ludicrous allegations, endangering journalism and democracy.