"Middle East conflict in Berlin schools": on the affectability of "fake news".

The article examines the emergence of a new moral panic in Germany centered on Palestinian schoolchildren, who are portrayed as prone to antisemitism and terrorism due to their consumption of "fake news" on social and Arabic-language media. This panic is framed within a broader history of racialized criminalization of youth, particularly Muslim and Arab populations, and marks a shift from earlier discourses focused on gender and sexuality toward a dehumanizing rhetoric tied to media use and disinformation. The article highlights how official responses, including school policies and political rhetoric, stigmatize Palestinian identity and restrict free expression, contributing to institutional practices resembling a school-to-prison pipeline. It also critiques the racialized distinctions made between "true" and "fake" media, noting how German mainstream media have participated in Israeli disinformation campaigns while dismissing Palestinian narratives. Overall, the article situates these developments within the dynamics of racial capitalism and the cultural production of "folk devils" through media discourses.