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Short answer
When critics accuse Israel of “propaganda,” it says more about its enemies than Israel itself. Islamist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, bankrolled by Iran and Qatar, rely on propaganda as a core strategy, flooding social media, Qatar-owned Al Jazeera, and global news outlets with lies. Russia and China amplify this disinformation through bot networks, all to demonize Israel and glorify terrorists as “resistance.”
In much of the Arab world, media isn’t free, it’s censored and weaponized to distract from corruption and internal failures, with Israel as the scapegoat. Meanwhile, Israel’s press openly criticizes its own leaders and army daily, a fact erased in the propaganda war.
Western activists often parrot these narratives, dressing them up as “anti-imperialism” while echoing jihadist talking points. And in Gaza, Hamas doesn’t just censor, it tortures and kills journalists, with many “reporters” literally on its payroll. That’s the real propaganda — and it’s a classic case of projecting onto Israel what they themselves are doing.
Long answer
When anti-Israel activists accuse Israel of “propaganda,” it says more about Israel’s enemies than about Israel itself. Islamist terrorist organizations ts like Hamas and Hezbollah, backed by Qatar and Iran, don’t just dabble in propaganda, they rely on it as a core strategy. With endless funding, they flood social media, Qatar’s state-owned Al Jazeera, and entire news ecosystems with lies, while Russia and China amplify their disinformation through massive bot networks. The goal is always the same: demonize Israel, spread disinformation, glorify jihadist terrorists as “resistance,” and erase any trace of their atrocities.
In much of the Arab and Muslim world, there is no free press. Media is censored, controlled, and weaponized by dictatorships and theocracies. Anti-Israel propaganda dominates not because it’s true, but because it distracts from corruption, repression, and economic collapse at home. Blaming Jews and Israel is the safest scapegoat, while Israel’s free press openly criticizes its government and army every day, a difference erased in the propaganda war.
The irony is that many Western activists, especially in far-left circles, adopt this propaganda wholesale. They dress it up as “anti-imperialism” or “speaking truth to power,” but in reality they’re parroting the messaging of jihadist terrorists and authoritarian regimes. The result is a recycled narrative that blames Israel for terrorists’ actions or instability in the Middle East, problems actually caused by Islamist violence and authoritarian rule. Blaming and diverting attention to Israel is easier than facing their own corruption and failures.
So when critics shout “propaganda” at Israel, it’s projection. Israel does what any democracy does: it explains its side, with facts open to scrutiny. That openness sometimes weakens its global image, while authoritarian regimes shield themselves with censorship and lies. Israel chooses debate over silence, while its enemies choose repression over truth.
Israeli society is built on argument, criticism, and free speech. In Gaza, Hamas tortures and kills journalists who contradict its lies, and many so-called “reporters” are literally on the Hamas payroll. Across the Arab world, states like Qatar, Iran, and Turkey bankroll a global propaganda machine for Hamas and Hezbollah. That’s the real propaganda — and the real difference.
