ד-פּאַקס<p>"Before “fake news” gained traction in the modern day, the <a href="https://babka.social/tags/Damascus" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Damascus</span></a> <a href="https://babka.social/tags/BloodLibel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BloodLibel</span></a> became a clear example of the damage that could be done. On February 5, 1840, a Capuchin monk, Father Thomas, and his Muslim servant disappeared mysteriously. Their disappearance fueled the fire for a false and malicious rumor quickly spread, alleging that the city’s <a href="https://babka.social/tags/Jews" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Jews</span></a> had <a href="https://babka.social/tags/kidnapped" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>kidnapped</span></a> and <a href="https://babka.social/tags/murdered" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>murdered</span></a> them to use their blood for baking <a href="https://babka.social/tags/Passover" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Passover</span></a> <a href="https://babka.social/tags/matzah" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>matzah</span></a>.</p><p>The <a href="https://babka.social/tags/French" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>French</span></a> consul in Damascus at the time was known for his <a href="https://babka.social/tags/antisemitic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>antisemitic</span></a> views and took the opportunity to take the allegations and formally accuse the <a href="https://babka.social/tags/Jewish" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Jewish</span></a> community of ritual murder. This led to severe repercussions — Jewish leaders were <a href="https://babka.social/tags/arrested" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>arrested</span></a>, subjected to brutal <a href="https://babka.social/tags/torture" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>torture</span></a>, and many were coerced into giving <a href="https://babka.social/tags/falseconfessions" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>falseconfessions</span></a>. The wave of persecution shocked the global Jewish community, triggering an unprecedented international effort to intervene on behalf of Damascus <a href="https://babka.social/tags/Jewry" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Jewry</span></a>."</p><p><a href="https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-844498" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">m.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemit</span><span class="invisible">ism/article-844498</span></a></p>