Introduction:
In the early morning hours on August 2nd, 1990, the news of the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein’s troops was officially announced on television. The First Gulf War, as the ensuing conflict would come to be known, was the first war to receive extensive live daily coverage, starting the "news satellite" revolution. News channels and media outlets like CNN and BBC provided televised coverage of the war to a global audience. Despite widespread television coverage, news still traveled at a slower pace than today. During the first few hours of the invasion, most Kuwaiti citizens and people around the world were unaware of what was unfolding, a reality unimaginable in today’s day and age.
The advent of social media in the following decades made way for more "media revolutions." The Syrian War (2011-2021) was dubbed as the first "Social Media War." Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp were used by all parties in the conflict to spread misinformation, hate speech, images of attacks, and other inflammatory content. In several cases, cameras were mounted to Kalashnikovs, giving viewers a video game-like perspective. Nearly every moment of both the current war in Ukraine and Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza has been documented via social media platforms, opening a new battlefield, fought by those sitting in front of their screens.
The widespread adoption of social media, especially in the MENA region, has made it significantly easier, cheaper, and faster to spread news and narratives to the public. Roughly 36% of Arabs noted that social media has been their most important source for following the Israel-Gaza War, compared to only 1% who use daily newspapers and publications. Thus, the narratives, perspectives, and storylines pushed on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram hold immense weight in shaping public opinion in the Middle East.
Since October 7th, the social media environment in the Arab world has been dominated by sentiments of division and resistance, challenging the strides made by the Abraham Accords in promoting hope and tolerance. In many ways, the social media environment and its effect on public opinion over the past 10 months is reminiscent of the unfortunate role those social media outlets played in the 2011 Arab Spring. Platforms like Twitter and Facebook, along with other traditional media outlets like Al Jazeera, played a significant part in shaping public opinion, mobilizing revolutionaries, and perpetuating crises.
This article will explore the messages, ideas, and trends that have flooded Arab social media since the outbreak of the current round of fighting in Gaza. It will analyze the posts, hashtags, and talking-points that have shaped public opinion regarding the Israel-Hamas war, and suggest ways in which the power of social media can be wielded as a tool to promote peace and prosperity in the "day after" scenario.
*This article is part of Regional Cooperation in the Midst of Regional Conflagration: Examining the Partnership Agenda in the Shadow of October 7th.
**This is a short version of the article. For a full version of this article that includes full text and source citations, please see the original publication file.