The Washington Post recently highlighted the increasing denial of the October 7th pogrom. With Hamas' extensive use of Go-Pros and smartphones, this event became arguably the most documented atrocity in human history. Despite this, certain groups portray the massacre as a fabrication, a 'false flag' operation by Israel to justify occupying Gaza and committing genocide. These narratives, emanating from both the right and the left, find resonance with a public already predisposed to believe that the Israeli hostages were abducted by Israel itself.
Coincidentally, Hamas just released a detailed 16-page booklet in English (and Arabic) titled "Our Narrative". This publication, which denies the targeting of civilians, strategically employs language reflecting human rights and international law values. Hamas differentiates between Zionism and Judaism in the booklet, asserting its conflict is not with the Jewish religion. This distinction helps Hamas circumvent accusations of antisemitism, while framing its campaign within the global anti-colonial solidarity movement. Clearly, the booklet is not intended for Israeli readers; its style unmistakably targets the international community, especially Western progressive groups that offer substantial political support. This tactic is more than a mere public relations effort; it's a strategic move to sustain and enhance Hamas' soft power in the West (as discussed here).
The denial of the October 7th pogrom—akin to contemporary versions of blood libel conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial - serves as another instance of the double standards and stigmatization against Israel. In today's world, dominated by social media, misinformation, and moral ambiguity often overshadow truth. This trend is exacerbated by the cooperation between Islamist entities in the West and progressive groups, a phenomenon termed the 'Red-Green Alliance'. In effect, these groups became a strategic rear for Hamas in the West during the war, amplifying its soft power.
Adding fuel to the conspiracy fire is identity politics. Under the guise of Critical Race Theory, Hamas is often depicted as a liberation movement, while Israel is labeled a colonial state. A revealing ISGAP report has recently exposed Qatar's funding strategies in the US and Europe, linking it to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Qatar has also emerged as a major benefactor for American universities. The correlation between the rising popularity of CRT and Qatar's academic investments is hard to ignore.
Israel faces a daunting challenge: the proliferation of false narratives on social media, the prevailing view of Hamas as a victim, and the surge in identity politics form a potent intellectual and moral ring of fire against Israel and the Jewish community. There is a feedback loop between this threat and the military ring of fire posed by Iran, Hamas, and their allies.
The dynamics on US campuses, in the media, and academia directly impact Israel's national security. Efforts to deny the atrocities of October 7th obstruct Israel's ability to fight Hamas.
These battles are interconnected, yet there is minimal, if any, coordination between Israel's security establishment combating Hamas in Gaza, and those in the Israeli establishment countering Hamas' soft power in the West, and Jewish communities fighting anti-Semitism.
Oversimplification and moral decay also undermine core Western values like meritocracy, equality, and democracy. Therefore, the struggle against Hamas' misleading narratives should not be an exclusive battle for Jews or Israel, but a collective endeavor of the free world. A unified approach is imperative, with Israel playing a leading role.
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