SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE ARAB - ISRAELI CONFLICT, 2000-2023
Faculty
Year of Publication
upload
Publication Type
Abstract
Background: The evolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict in the 21st century has been fundamentally reshaped by the digital revolution. While traditional warfare dominated the early 2000s, the emergence of social media platforms has transformed cyberspace into a critical secondary battleground. Information dissemination, public diplomacy, and narrative framing are no longer exclusively controlled by state actors or mainstream media outlets.
Objective: This study investigates the role and impact of social media platforms in shaping, accelerating, and mediating the Arab-Israeli conflict between 2000 and 2023. It explores how digital spaces transitioned from tools of passive observation during the Second Intifada to active instruments of psychological warfare, citizen journalism, and international mobilization by the 2020s.
Methodology: The research utilizes a historical-analytical approach combined with digital discourse analysis. It examines key technological flashpoints within the conflict, comparing early internet usage to the heavy reliance on platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok during major escalations (such as Operation Cast Lead in 2008, the 2021 Gaza clashes, and the events of late 2023).
Findings: The study reveals that social media has successfully democratized conflict reporting, giving marginalized voices a global audience and exposing human rights issues in real-time. Concurrently, however, these platforms have democratized propaganda. The research identifies a stark rise in algorithmic polarization, state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, and the "weaponization of empathy" through highly curated, emotionally charged visual content. Furthermore, the findings indicate that digital narratives have deepened global polarization, directly influencing international foreign policy and sparking a surge in diaspora-driven online and offline activism.
Conclusion & Significance: The study concludes that social media is no longer merely a mirror reflecting the Arab-Israeli conflict, but an active variable that alters its duration, intensity, and global perception. It underscores the urgent need for stricter platform governance, algorithmic transparency, and enhanced digital literacy to mitigate the real-world harms of digital warfare in protracted geopolitical crises.
Objective: This study investigates the role and impact of social media platforms in shaping, accelerating, and mediating the Arab-Israeli conflict between 2000 and 2023. It explores how digital spaces transitioned from tools of passive observation during the Second Intifada to active instruments of psychological warfare, citizen journalism, and international mobilization by the 2020s.
Methodology: The research utilizes a historical-analytical approach combined with digital discourse analysis. It examines key technological flashpoints within the conflict, comparing early internet usage to the heavy reliance on platforms like Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok during major escalations (such as Operation Cast Lead in 2008, the 2021 Gaza clashes, and the events of late 2023).
Findings: The study reveals that social media has successfully democratized conflict reporting, giving marginalized voices a global audience and exposing human rights issues in real-time. Concurrently, however, these platforms have democratized propaganda. The research identifies a stark rise in algorithmic polarization, state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, and the "weaponization of empathy" through highly curated, emotionally charged visual content. Furthermore, the findings indicate that digital narratives have deepened global polarization, directly influencing international foreign policy and sparking a surge in diaspora-driven online and offline activism.
Conclusion & Significance: The study concludes that social media is no longer merely a mirror reflecting the Arab-Israeli conflict, but an active variable that alters its duration, intensity, and global perception. It underscores the urgent need for stricter platform governance, algorithmic transparency, and enhanced digital literacy to mitigate the real-world harms of digital warfare in protracted geopolitical crises.
Supervisor(s)
co-supervisor