Israel must prevail on the social media battlefield - opinion

When Hamas staged a gruesome surprise attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, it ignited the deadliest conflict between Israel and Palestinian terrorists in decades. However, while the IDF is delivering crushing blows to Hamas within the Gaza Strip, there is another battlefield where the stakes are high, but the Jewish state is not faring well: the realm of social media.

Public perception of the current war and the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians continues to shift in an era dominated by social media narratives. Even when the shooting stops, Israel must remain fully engaged and map a plan to fundamentally reimagine its approach to public relations and social media.

Polling in recent years has shown an alarming slide in Americans’ support for Israel, with sympathy for the Palestinians on the rise. For example, a Gallup poll released in March and a University of Maryland poll from April show a higher number of Democrats identifying as more sympathetic to the Palestinians, or considering themselves neutral and inclined toward neither side.

Shockingly, according to data commissioned by the Left-leaning Jewish Electorate Institute in 2021, nearly 35% of Jewish Americans believe that “Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States” with 25% agreeing that “Israel is an apartheid state.”

When you look beyond the numbers, what’s striking is the generational divide exposed by these polls and the troubling trends of declining support for Israel. While Baby Boomers and Generation X remain more sympathetic to the Israelis, younger Americans are increasingly identifying with the Palestinians. A 2022 survey by Pew Research Center revealed that US adults under 30 have an equally favorable view of the Palestinian government (35%) and the Israeli government (34%).

One significant factor contributing to this slide is Israel’s oft-decried failure to develop an effective PR strategy to reach young Americans on their turf – social media platforms where they consume information daily that shapes their worldview.

Israel badly losing on social media

A recent study conducted by The Washington Post revealed that since October 7, hashtags supporting the Palestinians have significantly outnumbered those in favor of Israel on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Specifically, on Facebook the usage of #freepalestine was 39 times greater than #standwithisrael, and on Instagram, it was 26 times more prevalent.

Meanwhile, Hamas, the savage group that reveled in the October 7 rape, mutilation, kidnapping, and other forms of barbaric murder against Israeli innocents, has mastered the art of constructing a narrative portraying Israel as a ruthless aggressor denying the Palestinian people their rights to self-determination. Throughout the course of the most recent conflict, Hamas’s disinformation-warfare operatives have successfully spread outright fabrications and false claims that are amplified by American mass media outlets and social platforms. 

One such example was the global outcry when it was alleged that Israel had the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City. In truth, the destruction was caused by misfired Palestinian rockets, and the death toll and casualty count were grossly exaggerated. Another example was the false assertion that top Israeli general Nimrod Aloni was captured by Hamas, used as a rallying cry online for supporters of the Palestinians and Hamas. However, by the time each of those stories was debunked, widespread reputational damage had already been done.

Lies that take hold in the public consciousness are hard to debunk, and when truth trumps lies, this inevitably leads many to refuse to believe facts. As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, and for a long time to come afterward, criticism of Israel will continue to grow in scope and intensity. With social media playing a prominent role in modern warfare, increasing numbers of young adults in America and beyond will find themselves exposed to and often swayed by Hamas propaganda.

To reverse this trend, Israel’s government and the broader community of its supporters around the world must mount a concerted effort to win the hearts and minds of younger generations. This involves not just defending Israel’s actions in times of war, but also proactively educating about the complex realities of the conflict.

The narrative should also focus on the basic history of Israel’s dedication to peace and quest for co-existence with its neighbors. Left-leaning audiences should be exposed to facts about Israel’s embodiment of democratic values and embrace of a worldview far more progressive and aligned with their own than the apocalyptic and medieval ideologies of terrorists seeking the imposition of Sharia law and the murder of “infidels” – Jewish and otherwise. 

Accuracy and facts should counter lies, and personal stories should be told that don’t cede humanity to the Palestinians. For decades they have mastered the art of victimhood and perpetuated the canard that Israel is the obstacle to a final peace settlement – as opposed to the Palestinians’ fundamental rejection of Israel’s right to exist. 

The wider Jewish community must abandon the self-defeating, age-old mantra that Israel is “bad at PR.” Instead, we must mobilize aggressively with modern technologies and unflagging will to engage in open and honest conversations about freedom, democracy, and the real stakes in the Middle East.

To succeed in this endeavor, champions of Western-style democracy must leverage the power of social media influencers and digital platforms while strategically disseminating accurate information, engaging in dialogue where constructive, and rapidly responding to challenge disinformation.

By doing so, Israel will ensure that its messages reach the right audiences; not only current allies but the leaders and decision-makers of tomorrow, who will wield the power to impact global support for Israel.

The aftermath of October 7 has clearly shown that winning on the battlefield will not be enough for Israel. 

In the age of social media, bite-sized tweets, TikTok videos, and Instagram reels can be devastating. The war for the future, including the hearts and minds of the youngest generation, is one that Israel cannot afford to lose.

The writer is founder and CEO of the crisis communications firm Red Banyan and author of Amazon bestsellers Crisis Averted and The Cancel Culture Curse: From Rage to Redemption in a World Gone Mad.