The state of Israel is facing a major problem in it is war with Hamas; it is badly losing the public relations among members of the international community. While in practical terms, the Hamas terrorist organisation never really had a chance to defeat the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in a conflict, however, when it comes to a public relations battle, the Israelis have been fighting a losing battle.
While it would be false to say that Hamas has managed to garner any kind of support in the eyes of the international community. As they are a terrorist organisation that is responsible for the deaths of Israel civilians and the cases of sexual violence used against Israeli women. It is true to say that this current war between Israel and Hamas has managed to significantly increase the international support for a Palestinian state and has severely tarnished Israel’s reputation.
The latest news that the governments of Spain, Ireland, and Norway have decided to officially recognise a Palestinian state is a major example of this phenomenon. While most countries around the world recognise a Palestinian, this move by Spain, Ireland, and Norway breaks from the general consensus among European states, as numerous European states are yet to recognise a Palestinian state. This coordinated move by the three governments exemplifies the growing isolation experienced by Israel on the international stage.
Likewise, the request by the Chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, is another example of Israel’s tarnishing reputation. The accusations by the ICC chief prosecutor include allegations of: starvation of civilians; murder as a war crime; intentional attacks against civilian populations, etc.
Such a request for an Israeli government official would have been unimaginable before the response by Israel to the October 7th attack. However, the devastation that has befallen the people of Gaza has meant that the charges against the Israeli prime minister and defence minister have been praised by numerous parties. The Israelis and the United States government, their biggest ally, have been among the only parties to dismiss the case.
Perhaps the most devastating case against Israel so far on the international stage has been the genocide case filed by South Africa against Israel, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The idea that the Israeli state is accused of committing a genocide is in itself a major blow to Israel’s reputation.
When considering the history of antisemitism against the Jewish people, the idea that the only Jewish state in the world, is accused of committing a genocide, is a serious contention.
Young people are among Israel’s biggest detractors
Israel’s biggest reputational hits have been in winning the hearts and minds of younger people. The student protests that have taken place in various campuses around the United States (and Europe) are one of the most glaring examples of this.
The main demands of student protests have been calling on their universities to divest their endowments away from companies that are involved in any way in the Israeli war effort.
Likewise, in many of the protests that have taken place around the world, calling for a cessation of violence in Gaza have been populated by younger people.
Similarly, young people have taken to social media a lot, to express support for the Palestinian cause and disparage the actions of the Israeli military. TikTok especially has been a major source of this kind of messaging shared by younger people. In a study published by Northeastern University, they found that pro-Palestinian posts on TikTok had received 236 million views, in comparison to the 14 million pro-Israeli post on the social media site. The study did also find that content that had been neutral on the topic managed to receive around 492 million views.
Israel must seek to restore its reputation
If Israel is to have any future as a member of the international community, it would have to take various concrete measures to improve its standing in the world. Soft power, meaning the general feelings and attitudes held by members of the public in foreign nations, is an important element in any country’s foreign policy.
The general sentiments that many are currently being expressed about Israel are incredibly negative. Unless Israel works diligently to repair its image of the international stage, its risk becoming even more isolated in the eyes of many.
The Palestinian people are suffering
It would be totally unacceptable to address the topic without addressing the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza currently. The humanitarian crisis currently ongoing in Gaza is causing unimaginable suffering for the Strip’s civilian population.
As the Israelis have made it clear that they are fully committed to going forward with their planned offensive in Rafah, where over a million refugees had fled at the instruction of the Israelis, the suffering may be further exacerbated.
Moreover, fighting between Israel and Hamas militants has resumed in some parts of Northern Gaza, despite the fact that Israeli troops had largely withdrawn from the area, showing how difficult it is for the Israeli Defence Forces to completely eliminate the threat posed by Hamas.
Then there is the issue of a lack of humanitarian aid reaching civilians in Gaza. The presence of military checkpoints put in place by the IDF, which they claim work to ensure no weapons are smuggled into Gaza, have slowed down the flow of aid into the Strip.
Likewise, there have been various reports of Hamas militants seizing aid shipments meant for civilians, further amplifying the suffering of civilians in Gaza.
It is a completely tragic reality for the Palestinian civilians in Gaza, who have borne the brunt of the suffering that has resulted in this conflict. Civilians who had no part in the October 7th attack are currently facing the repercussions of the actions of Hamas militants.
The amount of death, injury, and trauma faced by the civilians of Gaza, is something that they would have to live with for the rest of their lives.
Likewise, it is important to acknowledge the suffering of the families of Israeli civilians who lost loved ones during October 7th, and the fact that there are still numerous hostages held by Hamas militants.
However, in the face of this current tragedy, the unfortunate reality for most is that we can only hope and pray for a cessation of the hostilities, the return of the hostages and a return to any semblance of normalcy in the region.
