How the Palestinian narrative has changed in the American mind

American attitudes towards the Palestinian cause have drastically changed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. Whereas the issue of Palestine was previously supported by more left-leaning individuals, it has become a nation-wide discussion and subject of concern.

Critiques and discussions of Israel are not limited to the actions of Netanyahu, but extend to include debates surrounding the Israeli army, which has been marketed to the American public as “the most moral army in the world.” Shifts in public opinion are not limited to the U.S. 's students and youth; they are noticeable across all strata of society.

There are several stages of and factors behind this shift in perception. Certainly, the ongoing Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has certainly accelerated this awareness, but other events and factors have also contributed to this recent shift.

The beginning of cracks in the Israeli narrative

The 2008 war on Gaza, also known as Battle of al-Furqan or Operation Cast Lead in Israeli circles, was a turning point for many Americans informed on the occupation of Palestine. For many, this war marked an introduction to Israel’s oppression and aggression of the Palestinian people, and in particular, of the people of Gaza.

The Second Intifada was reported to American audiences on television, and oftentimes, delivered in a dull manner, where violence was dismissed as skirmishes between police and protesters in the streets of some city in the world – if they received this news at all.

American attitudes towards the Palestinian cause have drastically changed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza. Whereas the issue of Palestine was previously supported by more left-leaning individuals, it has become a nation-wide discussion and subject of concern.

In 2007, Facebook soared in popularity, and news could become viral. Early users of Facebook, many of whom are now in their thirties, were able to discover certain critical issues across the world in a real and truthful manner. The impact of Facebook on the American mind was evident after the 2012 Israeli Operation Pillar of Defense, in which the Israeli military declared war, not through a televised speech, but with a video posted on Twitter showing the targeting of Ahmed Jabari’s car on the outskirts of the Al-Rimal neighborhood.

I believe that the Israelis who planned this were aware of the growing influence of social media, but due to the arrogance of power, underestimated the mindset of the American individual.

An awakening with the 2014 War

With the 2014 war on Gaza came a growing awareness of the Palestinian issue across a number of age groups in the United States. The images circulating were shocking and unjustified. Regardless of opinion, this war provided the American public with clear discussion points about the history of the Palestinian cause.

During this war, maps of Palestine showing the progress of the Israeli colonial and settlement project over the years became widespread on social media.

On social media, there have been countless attempts by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to manipulate algorithms in order to minimize the voice and content of Palestinian or pro-Palestine users.

Whereas Meta has repeatedly attempted to manipulate algorithms to silence pro-Palestine content, TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, has 50 times more pro-Palestinian content than that in support of Israel.

Understandings of apartheid also evolved, especially after the publication of former President Jimmy Carter's book, Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid in 2006. I believe that social media created a platform that allowed for natural selection of the most effective information.

The collapse of traditional media

The American political elites have always read The New York Times and The Washington Post, and still do, but these newspapers are now on the brink of commercial collapse, as few people pay monthly subscriptions to read newspapers in the age of the internet.

And so, one after another, media outlets that have historically been spoon fed information by the Israeli propaganda machine, are collapsing. This collapse has led many journalists to leave their jobs in order to establish independent media projects which provide more serious or credible political analysis of different global events, both left-leaning and right-leaning.

The coverage of Palestine was and still is exceptional. Some channels have announced that their objective coverage of the war has led to a significant increase in viewership, and in some cases, has even led to financial support. Meanwhile, CNN continues to experience a decline in viewers.

On social media, there have been countless attempts by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, to manipulate algorithms in order to minimize the voice and content of Palestinian or pro-Palestine users.

TikTok, owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, does not attempt to manipulate algorithms, and therefore, pro-Palestinian content is 50 times more prevalent than pro-Israeli content. This contrast largely influenced the passage of a law in American Congress to ban TikTok in April 2024.

Last October, a screen-clad truck drove around Boston displaying photographs of Harvard students it labeled anti-Semites. This was part of a premeditated plan to silence Harvard students in the event of a new war. Student movements that took place in spite of the fearmongering are courageous and historically significant.

Organized action on American university campuses

Over the last decade, a quiet movement has been developing on the most prestigious American university campuses, including Harvard and Stanford. Students of Arab origin, and others will more leftist political views, have mobilized, forming student groups with permanent presence on campus.

Many of these student groups have strong ties with other student-led groups in support of different minority communities, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and gender minorities.

One must commend the Jewish students who are among the most steadfast defenders of the Palestinian cause. Many emphasize that “never again” means “never again” for anyone, and understand that their presence is crucial to refuting the accusations of anti-Semitism used too often to silence supporters of a free Palestine.

Israel has tried to maintain its dominance in this context, but it has failed. In 2014, a website called Canary Mission was funded to blackmail Palestinian students, doxxing vocal pro-Palestinian student activists, professors, and organizations, publishing dossiers on their supposed anti-semitic views. Their violent doxxing has forced some bright, promising students to even change their names in an attempt to secure jobs and opportunities.

Many pro-Palestine student groups have strong ties with other student-led groups in support of different minority communities, including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and gender minorities.

In the early days of this war, Israeli organizations with murky funding, attempted to intimidate students on university campuses. In October 2023, a screen-clad truck drove around Boston displaying photographs of Harvard students it labeled anti-Semites. This was part of a premeditated plan to silence Harvard students in the event of a new war. Student movements that took place in spite of the fearmongering are courageous and historically significant.

I believe that the American public has been the target of a deliberate misinformation campaign (some might call it brainwashing) to establish blind public support for Israel. The American people are neither stupid nor foolish. Perhaps one of the most effective ways to engage in discussions about the Palestinian issue with the American people is to provide them with the facts, devoid of any biases. People want to form their own conclusions. Perhaps this is linked to American egoism, which stems from its economic prosperity. In any case, the weight and magnitude of American public opinion cannot be ignored. As long as the American system remains a democratic one, the need to create space for the Palestinian narrative within it remains crucial.

* The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Raseef22