Climate and political activist Greta Thunberg has found herself at the center of a viral meme, and some people are using it to criticize her claims about being "kidnapped" by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

The memes are centered around a viral photograph of Greta Thunberg smiling at a sandwich that an IDF soldier is handing to her, and it's the context around the sandwich itself that's got people mad.

So, where does the Great Thunberg sandwich meme come from, and what is the full context of the photo? Here's what you need to know.

What Is The 'Greta Thunberg Sandwich' Meme?

Greta Thunberg, who has been protesting in support of Palestine amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, recently went viral for boarding an aid ship to Gaza called The Madleen, which planned to cross an Israeli blockade to deliver food and supplies. This resulted in Israeli soldiers intercepting the boat on June 8th and ultimately deporting Thunberg on a route back to Sweden. Thunberg described this interception as a form of kidnapping.

Two other activists on the boat and a journalist were also deported, while the rest of the people onboard purportedly refused to be deported and were held while awaiting a chance to plead their cases to Israeli authorities.

Official social media pages for Israel started sharing posts making fun of the boat, calling it the "selfie yacht," and denying claims that Thunberg was kidnapped. They even shared a photograph of Thunberg smiling while being handed a sandwich by an IDF officer, which Thunberg has called a "PR stunt."

Regardless, the photo has taken off as a meme among those who don't believe Thunberg was kidnapped.

How Is 'Greta Thunberg Sandwich' Used In Memes?

The photo of Greta Thunberg smiling at the sandwich has become a big meme online and has also inspired a lot of discourse.

Some people are using it to suggest that Thunberg wasn't kidnapped and that claiming she was is insulting to those who have actually been kidnapped and held hostage. To them, the photo, along with reports of her deportation, shows how well Thunberg was treated after the boat was intercepted.

As a meme, the photo is mostly being used as an image macro or object-labeling format. Some of the most viral examples suggest that Thunberg forgot about her cause because of the sandwich, with others featuring harmless labels like "grandma" on the soldier and "me" on Thunberg.

What Are Some More 'Greta Thunberg Sandwich' Memes?

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For the full history of Greta Thunberg Smiling At Israeli Sandwich, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.