İsrail’in yürüttüğü enformasyon savaşı; sahadaki fiziksel tanıkları (gazetecileri) ortadan kaldırmak, uluslararası ana akım medyada dil kontrolü sağlamak ve dijital dünyada algoritmik sansür ile sahte iddiaları (Pallywood vb.) yayarak olası savaş suçlarının görünürlüğünü, dolayısıyla da hukuki ve siyasi faturasını engellemek üzerine kuruludur.
Can you provide information about Israel’s activities in international media and social media to conceal its war crimes?
A multi-layered information war is being waged in international media and social media platforms to prevent or mitigate the impact of images of civilian massacres, infrastructure destruction, and potential war crimes that emerged during Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, from reaching the global public.
Based on academic research, reports from human rights organizations (UN, Human Rights Watch, etc.), and leaked documents, these activities can be broadly categorized under the following headings:
1. Digital Diplomacy and Defense Mechanism: Hasbara
Israel’s strategy for manipulating public opinion and disseminating its official narratives is referred to in the literature as “Hasbara” (Hebrew for to explain or to justify). In the digital age, this structure has transformed into a massive, state-funded social media operation.
The Packaging of Victimhood and Justification: Attacks and civilian deaths are consistently framed as “self-defense” and “counterterrorism” through official state institutions and embassies. Dehumanization of Civilian Suffering: The tragedies experienced by Palestinian civilians are systematically attempted to be legitimized by hiding behind the “human shield” argument.
2. Obfuscation of Evidence and the “Pallywood” Narrative
One of the most common tactics is to claim that real images of atrocities from the battlefield are “staged” or “fake.”
- The Staging Claim: Visual evidence, including the agonizing cries of wounded or dead children and civilians under bombardment, which has won international awards (such as the World Press Photo award-winning photograph by Mahmoud Ajjour), is presented by pro-Israel accounts under the label of “Pallywood” (the Palestinian Hollywood). The aim is to undermine global empathy by claiming that Palestinians are staging their own suffering using actors. * AI Labeling: Real photos of destruction and massacres are deliberately labeled as “AI-generated fake images” through bot networks on social media, thus creating doubt in the viewer and weakening the power of the evidence.
3. Eliminating the “Eyes” on the Ground and Information Blackout (Infocide)
According to international law, journalists are the primary source for documenting war crimes. Direct intervention on the ground is being used to cut off the flow of information.
- Journalist Killings: Hundreds of Palestinian journalists and media workers reporting the situation in the region to the world have lost their lives in attacks. The UN and international press organizations frequently emphasize that this is a systematic silencing effort to prevent independent verification. * Foreign Press Ban: Israel has completely banned international independent journalists from entering Gaza. The very few Western journalists who do enter the region are only allowed in under the escort of the Israeli Army (IDF) and on the condition that they publish militarily censored footage.
- Communication Cuts: During bombardments, internet and electricity infrastructure are deliberately crippled to prevent civilians from broadcasting live and transmitting potentially incriminating images to the world.
4. Algorithmic Censorship and Shadowbanning on Social Media Platforms
A significant lobbying and pressure mechanism has been established over the content moderation policies of social media companies (Meta, X, TikTok, YouTube).
- Shadowbanning: As documented in reports by UN human rights committees, accounts that express solidarity with the Palestinian people, criticize the attacks, or directly report on the devastation of war are algorithmically restricted or their content is removed on the grounds that it “contains violence.” * Extensive Content Reporting Networks: Organized by the Israeli government (particularly the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs) and pro-Israel lobbies, networks of thousands of volunteers and bots report pro-Palestinian or critical posts en masse, leading to the closure of accounts.
5. Language and Framing Bias in Western Media
The major Western media outlets (The New York Times, BBC, CNN, etc.) use language to manipulate perceptions. Data analysis (e.g., The Intercept and independent data scientists’ work) has revealed the following distortions:
- Distinction Between Active and Passive Language: When referring to Israeli victims, clear and active words such as “killed” and “massacred” are used; while for Palestinian civilians, children, and journalists, passive language that conceals the perpetrator is preferred, such as “died after the explosion” and “was among the dead.” * Detachment from Historical Context: The historical context is obscured by presenting the events as if they were completely independent of decades of occupation, blockade, and apartheid policies, and that they began suddenly on a specific date (for example, with the October 7 attacks). * Undermining Source Credibility: Official statements from the Israeli army are presented as “absolute truth” without any independent scrutiny.
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