Edited image goes viral as Israeli soldiers holding ISIS flag

The Israeli soldiers are holding the flag of the Golani Brigade military unit, not ISIS.

An image of the Israeli soldiers holding the ISIS (Islamic State) flag along with Israeli flag is going viral on social media.The caption of the image states, “Israel is ISIS”. 

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Fact Check-

A reverse image search on the Google with the viral image led us to a report by the  Times of Israel report, dated 5 June, 2023, titled An IDF contingent of soldiers from the Golani Reconnaissance Battalion in Morocco to take part in the US-led African Lion military exercises on June 5, 2023.The report states “The Israel Defense Forces said it had sent a delegation of troops to participate in a major American-led military drill held in Morocco and nearby African nations, a first for the Israeli army. Twelve soldiers of the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit left Israel to join in the final two weeks of the international drill in Morocco, marking the first time the IDF takes an active part in the African Lion exercise.

According to the Jerusalem Post, a delegation consisting of 12 soldiers and commanders from the Golani Brigade’s elite unit in the IDF participated in the “African Lion 2023” international exercise in Morocco.

The Golani Brigade was founded on February 22nd, 1948, three months before the founding of the State of Israel. It is considered the first combat brigade of the IDF and was initially stationed in the valleys and hills of the Lower Galilee in northern Israel.

In further search, we found the same image on the official Twitter handle of IDF as well. This was uploaded on 5 June, 2023. The rough translation of the post from Hebrew states that “A delegation of 12 fighters and commanders from the Golani patrol unit left yesterday for the ‘African Lion 2023’exercise led by the land arm that is taking place in Morocco. About 18 countries and about 8,000 soldiers from the US army, Morocco and Ghana are participating in the exercise”. 

Below you can see a comparison of the original image with the viral image and it clearly shows that it had been edited to replace the military unit’s flag with the black-and-white one associated with ISIS.

From these evidences we can understand that the original image was taken in June 2023 and depicts Israeli soldiers holding the flag of the Golani Brigade, not ISIS.

Conclusion-

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be Altered. The Israeli soldiers are holding the flag of the Golani Brigade military unit, not ISIS.