Currently in Patagonia, there are mass wildfires spreading across its forests. Patagonia is a region that is nestled between Argentina and Chile, not its own country, and is differentiated by its geographical features. The fires are devastating, currently having burned 37,000 to 52,000 acres of the land’s forests, sources claim. But the fires aren’t the only thing people have on their minds, as a main topic of conversation has been who started the fires. Many are accusing Israeli tourists of starting the fires.

First being noticed around January 5th, the fires have quickly spread. NASA has released photos of the scene from satellites, and the thick smoke can easily be seen as far away as in space itself. The fires have caused many to be displaced and having to flee their homes, with multiple provinces stepping up to help combat the fires.

But if the tragedy isn’t enough, speculation has started to arise around the source of the fires. Many people, including officials from Argentina, are blaming Israeli tourists for the fires that have devastated the region.

In a post posted to r/latinamerica on Reddit, many people were quick to post their opinions on the matter. “It’s not “Israelis”. This happens all the time all over latín American and even in [redacted] california. Especially from negligent tourists that start a fire when camping without properly caring for the fire etc. Stop with the conspiracy theories. If you set foot in Latin America you would know that unfortunately this is very common” adds user tracystraussl.

Another user, user Versarien, chimes in on why many believe it could be an Israeli tourist, stating “Unfortunately, Israelis have a very bad reputation in southern Chile and there have already been two massive wildfires caused by them, and they have also been seen disobeying regulations and lighting campfires in places where it is not permitted”.

While many people are not blaming being Jewish for what happened, but instead the actions of some tourists who come specifically from Israel itself, the debate on if the claims are antisemetic still remain. The Combat Antisemitism Movement claims that all the conspiracies are, in themselves, antisemetic, but many disagree. Though, that is not to discredit that even while there are a lot of people not touching on the subject of their identity, some people making such accusations are genuinely coming from a hateful place. It’s important to read your sources carefully to avoid antisemitism and bias.

One thing is for certain, and it’s that Patagonia currently has a lot on its plate. It’s best to read your sources carefully, and make sure what you chose to take away from it isn’t filled with someone else’s bias.