Claims that Israel is “harvesting organs” echo the blood libel, a medieval accusation that Jews murdered others for ritual purposes. These claims spread without evidence and led to centuries of violence and persecution.

Over time, the narrative has been repackaged. From Soviet propaganda to modern viral posts, the same accusation continues to resurface in different forms.

A past ethics scandal involving improper handling of human tissue is often cited to support these claims. It was illegal, it was exposed and stopped, and it is frequently misrepresented.