Israel has escalated its conflict with Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border, resulting in the displacement of thousands of Lebanese civilians and over 600 deaths. In addition to military actions, Israel is using psychological tactics to intimidate and garner support for a full-scale war. The plan to ethnically cleanse North Gaza has also gained attention, with strong political support in Israel.
Online Zionist influencers, known as hasbarists, play a crucial role in promoting the Israeli government’s narrative through media-trained spokespeople, PR campaigns, and social media messaging. The recent violence in Gaza has posed challenges for these influencers as they try to justify the actions of the Israeli military.
Key figures highlighted in the article include Habib Battah, founder of Beirut Report, Ori Goldberg, a political commentator, Zahera Harb, a senior lecturer in journalism, and Assal Rad, author of State of Resistance. Additionally, Tariq Nafi delves into Netanyahu’s support for the “The Generals’ Plan” in North Gaza, and Nicholas Muirhead explores the role of online hasbarists in shaping public opinion.
Featuring insights from Israeli author and influencer Hen Mazzig, Professor Saree Makdisi, Tamara Nassar from Electronic Intifada, and Matt Lieb from Bad Hasbara, this article sheds light on the strategies used by Israel to manipulate public perception and gain support for its military actions.
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Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
