90% of Arab world on social media against normalization - Israeli study
The study pointed at direct involvement of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Iran and pro-Palestinian organizations in orchestrating the negative discourse.
By TOBIAS SIEGALPalestinians protest the recent peace deals struck between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain. (photo credit: FLASH90)
Some 90% of discussions in Arabic on social media regarding the recent Gulf normalization deals with Israel have negative undertones, a new study by the Strategic Affairs Ministry stated.The study, based on research conducted between mid-August and mid-September 2020, was distributed among government and security officials on Sunday. The report mentions that various estimations point at direct involvement of the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Iran and pro-Palestinian organizations in encouraging and even orchestrating big parts of the negative discourse.The study is part of a new initiative led by outgoing Strategic Affairs Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen, meant to tackle negative public opinion about Israel, especially online, with a focus on hate speech, incitement and fake news against Israel on social media.According to Walla News, the study and the new initiative pioneered by Farkash-Hacohen are part of the minister's attempt to divert the activity of the ministry, which in recent years included active actions carried out against organizations that were involved in promoting boycotts against Israel. This kind of activity, mostly conducted between 2015 and 2020 during Ambassador Gilad Erdan's tenure as Strategic Affairs Ministry, was perceived as political persecution and led to international criticism against Israel on several occasions.Farkash-Hacohen, who will soon be leaving her position to become tourism minister, noticed the issue and decided to redirect the ministry's activity and focus on social media discourse – with an understanding that social media platforms are where the most significant activity with the biggest impact takes place."We stand behind the idea that dialogue and partnership – rather than boycotts – are the means for reaching peace with our neighbors," Farkash-Hacohen said.The report found that nearly 90% of the discussions were negative toward the UAE and its signing of the treaty with Israel, with 45% of the posts deeming the agreement as "treason." Additional criticism against the UAE focused on “interacting with Zionists" (27%), UAE hypocrisy (10%) and viewing the agreement as surrendering to US interests (5%).Arguments in favor of normalization, mostly made by Iraqis who were expressing the desire for their country to do the same, were the minority. Such comments focused on the advantages in security (61%), economic feasibility (33%) and the improvement of a de facto existing situation (6%). The main protagonists against normalization were found to be accounts associated with Hezbollah, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, alongside a series of Palestinian NGOs which promote delegitimization of Israel.Farkash-Hacohen noted the importance of monitoring anti-Israel activity on social media."Social networks are used as a key platform to formulate public opinion. The analysis of the discourse in relation to the recent normalization agreements signed with the Gulf states indicates an organized attempt to create a negative discourse against the agreements by the anti-peace camp in the Arab world," Farkash-Hacohen said."Given the crucial importance of the normalization processes for the future of the Middle East, and in light of the hate speech attack against our recent Gulf partnerships, we will work to promote a long-term positive mindset in Arabic which will present the benefits of peace while challenging the narrative against it," she added.
