Why Argentina and Spain's World Cup final has become a proxy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The World Cup final between Argentina and Spain has become a proxy for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict online, fueled by the countries' differing foreign policies and leading to antisemitic conspiracy theories. Argentina's President Javier Milei has shifted the country to a pro-Israel stance, while Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and recognized a Palestinian state. Players also symbolize this divide: Argentina's Lionel Messi has past ties to Israel, and Spain's Lamine Yamal displayed a Palestinian flag. Online discourse, including comments like "We are getting an Israel versus Palestine World Cup," has intensified, with some posts invoking antisemitic tropes. Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, CEO of CyberWell, stated that the World Cup stage is being "exploited by those seeking to spread antisemitic conspiracy theories."