What led to the suspension of Israeli ‘propaganda merchant’ Eylon Levy?

British-educated Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy, a prominent figure in UK media since October 7, has been suspended after reports of an alleged spat with the British Foreign Office.

Described as a "consummate liar and Israeli propaganda merchant," the suspended official has courted controversy over his comments relating to the now debunked and false allegations of rape by Hamas resistance fighters during the October 7 cross-border operations.

Levy, a dual British citizen, had regularly provided defence of Israel’s onslaught that has largely killed Palestinian women and children in the besieged enclave, on prominent UK media outlets, including Sky News and Piers Morgan’s show, to offer his spin on the assault on Palestinians in Gaza.

Since the October 7 Hamas attack, Israel’s brutal bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed more than 32,000 Palestinians, displacing 85 per cent of the population and damaging or destroying 60 per cent of the local infrastructure.

Levy’s suspension reportedly emerged following a dispute with the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office regarding his social media posts.

However, Israeli authorities have not provided a public reason.

Aid not reaching Palestinians

The UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, had taken to social media to say, "People in Gaza are in desperate humanitarian need."

In the post on X, he said, along with the US and partners, that the UK is seeking to "deliver aid directly to Gaza. We continue to urge Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza as the fastest way to get aid to those who need it."

Already under siege since 2007, Gaza has been squeezed even further since October 7. Aside from a small trickle of aid, Israel has largely barred the entry of most critical resources, including foodstuffs, potable water, and medicines.

Efforts to get aid into the enclave have also been severely hampered and blocked by Zionist protesters at the Gaza border.

The UN has said that famine is"almost inevitable" while Palestinian authorities say the family in the enclave is "deepening" while aid airdrops are ineffective.

Levy, an Israeli government spokesperson since October 7 who completed his undergraduate course at the University of Oxford and got a master's degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, publicly questioned Cameron's assessment.

In a now-deleted post on X On March 8, Levy responded, "I hope you are also aware there are NO limits on the entry of food, water, medicine, or shelter equipment into Gaza, and in fact the crossings have EXCESS capacity," Levy said.

"Test us. Send another 100 trucks a day to Kerem Shalom, and we'll get them in," he claimed.

Levy received strong pushback, as the head of the foreign affairs committee, Alicia Kearns, questioned his statement. She described Levy’s remarks as contrary to what she had learned from the UK, Egyptian, and UN governments.

After meeting with an Israeli minister in London, Levy also heavily criticised Cameron's statement, claiming, "It is factually incorrect that the flow of aid has not increased."

In his post, Levy also sought to peddle a false narrative contravening Israel's position as an occupying power in Gaza - something Cameron recently publicly stated in recent weeks.

Following the second post, reportedly, the UK embassy in Tel Aviv contacted the Israeli prime minister's office, calling for clarification as to whether Levy's comments represented Israel's position or had been made in a personal capacity.

Uncertain future

Since his suspension, Levy’s future remains uncertain.

For some, the incident underscored the impact that diplomatic pressures can have on Israel.

"If a social media tiff with Cameron can bring down Israel's spokesperson Eylon Levy. Imagine what would happen if the West stopped supplying arms? Netanyahu would soon be gone, and real negotiations could begin," activist and journalist Steve Howell, wrote on X.

He went on to call for peace and for countries to cease supplying arms to Israel.

Over five months, Levy gained significant media space, prompting political analyst Hafsa Halaw to state that he was never strongly challenged over his claims during that period.

"Eylon Levy was fired because his arrogance, having been given almost complete free reign by almost all Western media for five months with no accountability, got him publicly caught in a lie to an elected representative of the UK Parliament," she wrote.

"Everything comes back to impunity," she added.

Amid Israel's continued onslaught, The Times of Israel also reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "bemoaned" the "dearth of spokespeople who could "string two words together" in English."

From propagandist to Dancing with the Stars

Some social media users have drawn parallels between Levy and the chief Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels for similar attempts to peddle falsehoods and shape public opinion.

As Netanyahu seeks to cling to power by prolonging the war, The Times of Israel suggested a disjuncture is emerging among Israel’s top power structure.

The publication said Netanyahu's wife, Sara Netanyahu, had already been pushing to have Levy fired over criticism of the premier and for his participation in protests against the judicial overhaul.

During his time as a spokesperson, Levy was also unable to substantiate the claims that The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) “were directly involved in the October 7 attack". The incident led to the agency providing critical support, having its budget slashed as many Western nations paused funding.

In his thirties, Levy was born in the UK but settled in Israel a decade ago. He served in Cogat, the defence ministry overseeing policy for the Palestinian territories.

He also worked in media before becoming President Isaac Herzog's international media adviser and later an Israeli spokesperson.

Since his suspension, he has taken to X, formerly Twitter, to claim that "anyone saying "intentional starvation" is lying or being lied to.

Meanwhile, there is reportedly a campaign to reinstate him underway, while the Israeli media suggests Levy may shift away from governmental duties after auditioning for the new season of Dancing with the Stars. No decision has reportedly been made.