How the internet’s leading account on Palestine maintains its message – TRT World
Posted By admin on January 18, 2022
In the era of memes and flowered Free Palestine squares, it's a constant struggle to ensure the message is not lost to an internet set on producing "more digestible" content.
Five years ago, a search for Eye on Palestine on Instagram would have led users to dazzling, professional shots of the Holy Land, from the Jordan River to the glistening Mediterranean.
But when the original administrator turned the account over to his brother in 2017, there was a slight shift in content. Instead of snaps of Palestine, the new administrator began posting daily updates on life under Israeli occupation, with the hope of diverting attention from straight politics, to the nuanced and often intimate ways that Palestinians suffer in their daily lives.
Usually the English accounts [on Palestine] are run by the PA [Press Association] or men in fancy suits, so I think when people see our broken English, they see how hard were trying to get our message out, says Hamza Mahmoud, the Eye on Palestine marketing and campaign specialist. Mahmoud, along with the administrator and assisting content creators, is based in Palestine.
Its funny, because there are so many of us who have no exposure to the West, and all of a sudden were dealing with millions of [Westerners] per day, he laughs.
What started as grassroots activism has taken the internet by storm: with 2.3 million followers and counting, the account is now the worlds go-to source for an understanding of the lived experience of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. There's a good reason for this - many captions are written in Arabic, English, Turkish, Russian, French, and Indonesian, to create a more personal connection to Palestine worldwide.
As all staff members work on a volunteer basis, multilingual captions come from followers across the world who want to join Eye on Palestine in spreading the word on injustice.
A quick scroll of the accounts most recent posts shows brutal beatings and arrests of Palestinians, some of them children; Israeli bulldozing of Palestinian homes; and a Palestinian march in Ramallah, held in protest of the continued detention of a Palestinian cancer patient.
The account is familiar with sensitive content warnings.
We used to post really aesthetic posts, says Mahmoud. But what makes our content special is the details of the occupation. Were not talking about politics, were talking about the lives of people. Every individual is suffering, he says.
His take is both refreshing and timely. Since Palestinian digital activism took off in 2015, and surged once again in May 2021 during the 11-day Hamas/Israel war, there has been an unspoken agreement that mass awareness, and a prominent online presence is a good thing for Palestinian activism. American-Palestinian model Bella Hadid, with a whopping 48.3 million followers, has reposted all pro-Palestine content. While this hasnt been without its fair share of Zionist backlash, the hope has been that putting the occupation of Palestine in the same bracket as other grave human rights abusesand by demystifying the understanding of an equal-power conflict in the processthey will slowly pull back the blindfold of the international community.
The question, then, is whether digital activism has had the intended effect, or if, in the era of memes and flowered Free Palestine squares, the message has been lost to an internet set on producing more digestible content.
Eye on Palestine is clear: its not here to be the internet police. Content creators have learned a thing or two about purpose-driven online activism.
Memes: aesthetics have their place
For Eye on Palestine, the use of aesthetically pleasing graphic designs, photographs, or artworks have their place in digital activism.
When used intentionally, that is.
Aesthetic posts should be used as a break, and thats critical, says Mahmoud, noting that the majority of their content displays brutality, something the majority of the audience will need a break from.
If activist accounts take care to do so, publishing such posts can also help foster effective altruism within the community. Eye on Palestine says they routinely pay local artists for the work that is published on the account, and make sure to tag the artists account to further support them.
When asked if such posts, which are often devoid of context, risk losing the message of the account, Mahmoud says no.
People know that our message should not be lost, he says of both aesthetically designed posts and memes, which he is unquestionably in favour of, because they are often thought-provoking and do not solicit the same response across the board. The content consumer chooses for themselves what reactionor actionto take from the post, which makes for a stronger connection to the content.
I need your thoughts, not your tears, he says.
And just because something is humorousor not what is typically considered intellectualit doesnt mean it shouldnt be welcome in the digital activist world, particularly the Palestinian one.
Why would a meme make us lose credibility? Even when Israel is bombing usthis is darkbut I need this as humour.
If youre going to ride the wave, ride it right
During the 11-day war in May last year, Eye on Palestine saw its followership soar by nearly 500 percent in one week. Several other prominent Palestinian activist accounts similarly saw a significant uptick in followers. For Mahmoud, the phenomenon was not a trend, but evidence of information-thirsty individuals trying to meet their needs.
He realises that some peopleboth creators and consumerswere just riding the wave for exploitative reasons, but he doesnt pay them much attention. If their content is accurate, then, to him, its action over intention.
But, he says that, more often than not, fake activism is fairly easy to spot.
Many people [who ride the wave] dont have the right discourse, and have no exposure to international politics, he says.
While not suggesting that an international law degree is necessary to join the conversation on Palestine, it seems he is suggesting that well-intentioned people without a background in occupational politics hand the microphone to locals who do. Even then, though, its important to pay attention to particularities in the language.
In Arabic, many people useyahoudiwhich means Jewishto describe a Zionist, he says, noting the difference in the words. Someone who is Jewish belongs to the Jewish faith, whereas a Zionist is someone who believes in the establishment and advancement of the state of Israel as a homeland for the Jewish people.
The problem, Mahmoud says, is in the translation.
People who dont know this nuance will translate directly from Arabic and end up using the word Jew in place of Zionist which, of course, changes the whole meaning, he says.
And because the internet and screenshots are endless, there is little that experts on the topic (such as Mahmoud) can do to rectify false information or alter the impact it may have on the Palestinian narrative.
Lies can never be covered. In time, if these people get [likes, followers], we can never change it.
Accountability is key
For those interested in speaking more on Palestine in the digital space, Mahmoud has two key pieces of advice to share.
Firstly, you need to keep good resources. We have a whole group chat with the best Palestinian journalists, so we know how to verify our information, he says.
For him, the key word is Palestinian.
Do not trust Hebrew media, he says emphatically.
People see it as irrefutable because they have security, cameras, and an army. So people think if it happened, they would have seen it. But they lie, and we know it. We do not rely on their media.
[NOTE: *Name has been changed due to the interviewees fear of increased attacks against Palestinian digital activists, both online and off.]
Source: TRT World
Follow this link:
How the internet's leading account on Palestine maintains its message - TRT World
- Palestine and Israel on the verge of a new escalation - Arab News - May 8th, 2022
- That time I protested Palestinian home demolition | Eric Periman | The Blogs - The Times of Israel - May 8th, 2022
- 'If the Singer is Silenced': Music of the Unity Intifada - Palestine Chronicle - May 8th, 2022
- High school soccer: Palestine sends three to All-State team - Palestine Herald Press - May 8th, 2022
- Cornwall circus performers shot at and tear gassed in Palestine as they help students - Cornwall Live - May 8th, 2022
- Hamas slams 70 years of Israeli occupation of Palestine as 'full-fledged war crime' - Press TV - May 2nd, 2022
- Female engineer: 'We can take Palestine to space and beyond' - Middle East Monitor - May 2nd, 2022
- Israel's annual weaponry festival is inseparable from occupation in Palestine - Mondoweiss - May 2nd, 2022
- Pak Community Leader Javed Aslam With Palestine Flag In Athens: "What Does This Have To Do With May D ... - GreekCityTimes.com - May 2nd, 2022
- Conference on Palestine .. the central issue of the nation held in Sanaa, Yemen - AhlulBayt News Agency ABNA24 - May 2nd, 2022
- Toronto police to increase presence in downtown in anticipation of pro-Palestine protests - The Globe and Mail - May 2nd, 2022
- Israel/Palestine: UN experts call on governments to resume funding for six Palestinian CSOs designated by Israel as 'terrorist organisations' - OHCHR - April 29th, 2022
- More Than 1000 Chicagoans Take to the Streets Again in Support Of Palestine - Loyola Phoenix - April 29th, 2022
- Henna tattooing, a way to show belonging in Palestine - TRT World - April 29th, 2022
- UNRWA Commissioner-General calls for support to Palestine refugees in Syria ahead of the IV Brussels International Conference on The Future of Syria... - April 29th, 2022
- Press TV exclusive: Hamas official slams Israel as threat to humanity - Press TV - April 29th, 2022
- Police Need Help Identifying Purse Thieves in Palestine, Texas - knue.com - April 29th, 2022
- The Violence In Palestine Continues To Be Ignored And Excused - Junkee - April 20th, 2022
- The Rosa Parks of Palestine: Here's to the Human Spirit - Palestine Chronicle - April 20th, 2022
- Civil Society and the Question of Palestine - NGO Action News - 14 April 2022 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - April 16th, 2022
- Israeli-Palestinian War: The Effectiveness of the Israeli Defense Forces - smallwarsjournal - April 16th, 2022
- High school soccer: Palestine's Absalom named District 17-4A Coach of the Year - Palestine Herald Press - April 16th, 2022
- Ambassador: Relations between Azerbaijan and Palestine have been successfully developing within principles of solidarity, friendship and mutual... - April 16th, 2022
- Easter Egg Hunts and other local events listing - Palestine Herald Press - April 16th, 2022
- 'Britain's colonial legacy in Israel and Palestine needs to be addressed' - The Mirror - April 16th, 2022
- Fears that wheat stocks could run out in the Occupied Palestinian Territory within three weeks - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - April 16th, 2022
- Do Not Panic Palestine: Your Star in the Sky Will Shine - Palestine Chronicle - April 9th, 2022
- Podcast Ep 54: Palestine is the litmus test for international law - The Electronic Intifada - April 9th, 2022
- COVID-19 and Youth Employment in Jordan and Palestine: Impacts, Opportunities, and a Way Forward - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - April 9th, 2022
- Palestinian Winnipegger grateful for world's response to Ukraine, though it's been painful to witness - CBC.ca - April 9th, 2022
- 79-year-old to cycle over 250 miles to support causes in Palestine - Wiltshire Times - April 9th, 2022
- Protesters who sing slogans used by Hamas 'not anti-Semitic', university decides - The Telegraph - April 9th, 2022
- Israel and the Triangular Crisis of Ukraine, Iran, and Palestine - The New Yorker - April 3rd, 2022
- On Earth Day 2022, Where are the Palestinians? - Palestine Chronicle - April 3rd, 2022
- Dinner tables turn green and white in Palestine on the first day of Ramadan - Arab News - April 3rd, 2022
- In Every Corner of Palestine, There Is a Story of Dispossession - The Nation - April 3rd, 2022
- Save Palestine From The Palestinians - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com - April 3rd, 2022
- Billion-dollar deal partners Google and Amazon in Israeli occupation of Palestine - People's World - April 3rd, 2022
- Expose the businesses aiding illegal settlements in Palestine - March 26th, 2022
- Israel's occupation of Palestinian Territory is 'apartheid': UN rights expert - UN News - March 26th, 2022
- Pushing back against right wing attacks on education by centering Palestinian voices - Mondoweiss - March 26th, 2022
- Being There, Being Here: Palestinian Writings in the World - Middle East Monitor - March 26th, 2022
- Israel deciding who can teach at Palestinian universities is another nail on the apartheid regime - Middle East Monitor - March 10th, 2022
- Saving the art of Palestinian textiles: West Bank museum and V&A join forces to create new conservation studio - Art Newspaper - March 10th, 2022
- Political Economy of Palestine: Critical Perspectives - MidEast Breakfast with Alaa Tartir Peace Research Institute Oslo - Peace Research Institute... - March 8th, 2022
- Texas makes its way out of the omicron surge - Palestine Herald Press - March 8th, 2022
- Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | Global Conflict Tracker - February 17th, 2022
- Palestine - Roman Palestine | Britannica - February 17th, 2022
- Kaln reiterates Turkey's support for Palestine in talks with Abbas | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - February 17th, 2022
- Civil Society and the Question of Palestine - NGO Action News - 10 February 2022 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - February 17th, 2022
- Schools issued guidance on teaching partisan issues like BLM and Israel-Palestine conflict - Sky News - February 17th, 2022
- How I stay close to my son while arguing over Israel and Palestine - Forward - February 17th, 2022
- Palestine: Extreme Weather Conditions - Emergency Plan of Action (EPoA) DREF Operation MDRPS013 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - February 17th, 2022
- Independent state of Palestine is part of a new proposal by former officials - NPR - February 11th, 2022
- Nadhim Zahawi condemned for saying Palestine rights activists should be reported to the police - Morning Star Online - February 11th, 2022
- Israel normalization will not alter Turkey's stance on Palestine: FM | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah - February 11th, 2022
- High school basketball: Palestine's Johnson reaches 300th win Tuesday night - Palestine Herald Press - February 11th, 2022
- 'The Blood in the Barrel': Decades of Israeli Propaganda are Faltering - Palestine Chronicle - February 11th, 2022
- Palestine Demands Transferring Sick Detainee to Civil ... - January 30th, 2022
- Civil Society and the Question of Palestine - NGO Action News - 27 January 2022 - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - January 30th, 2022
- Secular democracy and the future of Palestine - Mondoweiss - January 30th, 2022
- From the river to the sea, Palestinians are not free - +972 Magazine - January 30th, 2022
- A place to grow: New Palestine church prepares move to expanded, renovated building - Greenfield Daily Reporter - January 30th, 2022
- Why is the Palestinian Authority cracking down on opposition? - Al Jazeera English - January 26th, 2022
- Viral Occupation: Palestine and the Video Revolution - lareviewofbooks - January 26th, 2022
- Palestine, Anderson County and Union Pacific Railroad headed to trial in March - Palestine Herald Press - January 26th, 2022
- UNRWA and UNICEF renew agreement to further support Palestine refugee children in the region [EN/AR] - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - January 26th, 2022
- Between a Rising Tide and Apartheid: Environmental Justice in Palestine - Palestine Chronicle - January 26th, 2022
- Can Algeria succeed in Palestinian reconciliation file, where others failed? - Al-Monitor - January 26th, 2022
- Palestinian PM warns of escalating actions in West Bank - The Siasat Daily - January 26th, 2022
- Bella Hadid sports 'Palestine' jewelry while out on the town with friends - Fox News - January 18th, 2022
- Abbas will not find the political horizon he is looking for - Al Jazeera English - January 18th, 2022
- Will there be 'lasting peace' between Israel and Palestine? - Middle East Monitor - January 18th, 2022
- New Palestine hires officer; second post to be filled - Greenfield Daily Reporter - January 18th, 2022
- A letter to the Sydney Festival about Palestine solidarity - +972 Magazine - January 18th, 2022
- Community rallies together against hate | News | palestineherald.com - Palestine Herald Press - January 18th, 2022
- UK warned it would recognize Palestine if Israel annexed West Bank, book reveals - The Times of Israel - January 2nd, 2022
- Palestine receives its largest COVAX shipment, funded by the Governments of Germany and Italy - occupied Palestinian territory - ReliefWeb - January 2nd, 2022
- Year in Review: Palestine Herald Press' Top 10 Stories of 2021 - Palestine Herald Press - January 2nd, 2022
- City of Palestine Announces Closings for the New Year's Holiday - Palestine Herald Press - January 2nd, 2022
Comments