LONDON: Israel is running a YouTube advertisement to build international support for its war with Hamas, Al Arabiya reported on Monday.
The ad, titled “Hamas Declared War Against Israel,” was published by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs using a simple voiceover with text in English, asking for support from the audience.
It warned that Tel Aviv will take all necessary measures to protect its citizens against “barbaric terrorists.”
The ad has sparked a debate on social media, with some users calling it “propaganda” and others defending Israel’s right to self-defense.
“Israel launched a bizarre propaganda campaign to rally public support for its war against Palestine following yesterday’s bloody offensive,” said one account.
Israel launched a bizarre propaganda campaign to rally public support for its war against Palestine following yesterday’s bloody offensive
People are seeing ads like this all over the place, platforms like YouTube sharing literal state calls to violence and revenge
In reality… pic.twitter.com/WIH8FkTXtf
— What the media hides. (@narrative_hole) October 8, 2023
Some have also criticized YouTube for approving the ad, arguing that the clip violates the platform’s policies on hate speech and violence.
One user said that the ad was “funded by the state of Israel and clearly intended to justify a major escalation of the war to a Western audience.”
Another asked: “How is it not getting banned?”
Israel Using YouTube Ads as it Ups Ante in Propaganda War
How is it not getting banned? @YouTube pic.twitter.com/MA6RsO0tWs
— Tshepang (@Tshepan25289316) October 9, 2023
On Saturday, conflict erupted between Israel and Hamas after the Palestinian group launched a major strike from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring his country at war with Hamas and calling up 300,000 army reservists in preparation for a blockade of Gaza.
Since the violence erupted, more than 1,000 people have died, including foreign nationals, with hundreds held hostage and many thousands reported to have been displaced.
