A viral video shared on X, formerly Twitter, purports to show an exchange between an Israeli soldier and a Palestinian man over an olive tree.

What an injustice this is
ELDERLY PALESTINIAN MAN PLEADS WITH ISRAELI SOLDIER TO NOT CUT OLIVE TREE AND TO KILL HIM INSTEAD

“Shoot me but don’t cut the tree”

“I raised this tree like my own child.”#GenocideJoe #EpsteinClientList #PakistanUnderStateFascism… pic.twitter.com/QR1oYr1EfI

— WORLD NEWS (@RaziSardar) December 20, 2023

Verdict: False

The video does not show an authentic incident but rather a scene from a 2019 music video released by the band Mashrou’ Leila for their song “Cavalry.”

Fact Check:

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps adviser Seyyed Razi Mousavi was killed as a result of a recent Israeli airstrike in Syria, according to BBC News. Israel has increased the frequency of airstrikes in Syria following the start of its current conflict with Hamas on Oct. 7, the outlet reported.

The X video, viewed 24,000 times, purports to show an exchange between a Palestinian man and an Israeli soldier over an olive tree. “What an injustice this is ELDERLY PALESTINIAN MAN PLEADS WITH ISRAELI SOLDIER TO NOT CUT OLIVE TREE AND TO KILL HIM INSTEAD,” the video’s caption reads. “‘Shoot me but don’t cut the tree’ ‘I raised this tree like my own child,'” it continues.

The video does not show an authentic incident but rather a scene from a 2019 music video released by the band Mashrou’ Leila for their song “Cavalry.” The scene begins at the music video’s 2:20-minute mark. The video focuses on the “devastating cruelty and machismo of militarized oppression, which enters our homes, and plays out in our domestic life,” according to its description.

“Calling to mind Ahed Tamimi, the Palestinian teenager arrested outside her home for confronting Israeli soldiers, and thrown into the public gaze as an activist, the children in the film reflect Mashrou’ Leila’s own struggles with political power, having recently been banned from being with their audiences in Jordan and Egypt, and finding themselves at the center of yet another human rights polemic. The film reminds us perhaps of the energized idealism we had as youths coming into the world, and believing we could change it, before political fatigue left us jaded and defeated,” the video’s description continues.

Likewise, the video is not referenced in any recent credible news reports about the current Israel-Hamas conflict. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also has not publicly commented on the video via its website or verified social media accounts. (RELATED: Viral Post About ‘Yemeni Navy’ Lacks Context)

Farmers in Gaza who harvest olives have been impacted by the current Israel-Hamas conflict, according to France 24. Farmers delayed this year’s harvest until a truce between Israel and Hamas out of fear of being mistaken for Hamas fighters and killed, the outlet reported.

Check Your Fact has contacted Mashrou’ Leila for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.