Israeli journalist faces death threats from prediction platform users for accurately reporting Iranian missile attack

Gate News reports that on March 16, Israeli Times journalist Emanuel Fabian stated that he has become the target of harassment and death threats from users of a certain crypto prediction platform due to accurate reporting of an Iranian missile attack. On March 10, an Iranian ballistic missile struck the outskirts of Jerusalem in the city of Beit Shemesh. The journalist reported that the missile hit an open area, causing no casualties. In the following days, he received numerous emails and WhatsApp messages demanding he modify his report, claiming that what actually fell were intercept missile fragments. It is understood that platform users bet over $14 million on whether Iran would attack Israel on March 10. The platform rules state that intercepted missiles are not considered an attack, and if the journalist changes his report, they could win large prizes. The threats escalated, with some forging the journalist’s email screenshots, others pressuring him through colleagues and promising a share of the winnings, eventually leading to direct death threats. A person claiming to be Haim threatened that if the journalist did not alter his report, causing them to lose $900,000, they would invest at least that amount to “settle” the journalist. The journalist has reported the threats to the police, and Israeli authorities are investigating. He stated that his reporting will not change due to threats but is concerned that other journalists, if promised a share of the winnings, might find it difficult to uphold journalistic ethics. Last month, Israeli reservists and civilians were prosecuted for using confidential information to place bets on prediction platforms.