{"id":220625,"date":"2019-09-12T16:44:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T20:44:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=220625"},"modified":"2019-09-12T16:44:31","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T20:44:31","slug":"international-media-seminar-on-middle-east-peace-concludes-with-discussion-of-hashtag-activism-reporting-about-women-in-opt-press-release-pal-2235-pi-2272","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/international-media-seminar-on-middle-east-peace-concludes-with-discussion-of-hashtag-activism-reporting-about-women-in-opt-press-release-pal-2235-pi-2272\/","title":{"rendered":"International Media Seminar on Middle East Peace Concludes with Discussion of “Hashtag Activism”, Reporting about Women in oPt – Press Release (PAL\/2235-PI\/2272)"},"content":{"rendered":"
PAL\/2235-PI\/2272<\/strong>
\n12 SEPTEMBER 2019<\/strong><\/h6>\n

ANKARA, 12\u00a0September \u2014 The 2019\u00a0International Media Seminar on Peace in the Middle East concluded today with robust discussions on topics ranging from better ways to report on women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to social media\u2019s role in supporting Palestinian activism \u2014 or spreading harmful misinformation \u2014 in a rapidly changing world.<\/p>\n

Aydan Karamano\u011flu, Deputy Director\u2011General in Turkey\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in closing remarks that speakers throughout the two-day Seminar contributed to a lively and substantive debate.\u00a0 \u201cAll of you have put a human face on the conflict,\u201d he said, noting that diplomats \u2014 whose job it is to discuss global issues for many hours \u2014 sometimes lose sight of the fact that their conversations reflect real lives on the ground.\u00a0 Urging participants to continue their crucial work, he said the Seminar itself played a small role in raising global awareness of the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.<\/p>\n

Seda Pumpyanskaya, Director of the Strategic Communications Division in the United Nations Department of Global Communications, said participants tackled important questions through interactive dialogue and eye-opening personal stories.\u00a0 While many of those questions could not be fully answered, \u201cthese two days helped us better understand that peace is the answer to all questions\u201d during conversations that were both rich and intriguing, she said.<\/p>\n

During the morning panel, titled \u201cWomen of the Conflict:\u00a0 Are Their Stories Reported?\u201d, speakers discussed the ways in which women are impacted differently than men by the Israel-Palestine conflict, as well as whether their stories are sufficiently reflected in news reporting.<\/p>\n

Panellists and audience members from a variety of news outlets and online platforms, as well as university students, educators and others, offered their views on the complex task of providing accurate, informative reporting on women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory \u2014 especially when dealing with access restrictions and long-entrenched structural inequality.\u00a0 Several speakers underscored the difficulty of striking a balance between factual reporting and compelling storytelling, with many cautioning against either victimizing women or glossing over their struggles.<\/p>\n

Panellist Anat Saragusti, a filmmaker, book editor and freelance journalist based in Israel, said the stories of women impacted by the conflict are not sufficiently reported.\u00a0 Recalling the domestic\u2011violence-related murders of two young women in Israel in\u00a02018 \u2014 which led to protests across the country \u2014 she said that, while Israel\u2019s media covered the murders and the strikes, it failed to make the connection to the long\u2011standing conflict, which has flooded Israel\u2019s population with guns and ammunition.\u00a0 She also described her own work as a feminist reporter, which often involves humiliation and discrimination.<\/p>\n

Panellist Ali Ghaith, a contributor to the independent global media platform OpenDemocracy, said the vast majority of media outlets in the region lack gender\u2011specific reporting strategies.\u00a0 Very few portray strong women as individuals with hopes and dreams, and gender-related topics are often dismissed as \u201cseasonal\u201d.\u00a0 In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, many news outlets paint Palestinian women as victims with no agency of their own.\u00a0 In that context, he called for more specific training on gender-sensitive reporting for journalists, both in the Middle East and around the globe, as well as stronger gender education and sensitization programmes for communicators at the tertiary education level.<\/p>\n

In the afternoon, a different set of experts tackled the theme \u201cThe Israel\u2011Palestine Conflict and the Hashtag Activism Phenomenon\u201d.\u00a0 Panellists and other speakers \u2014 including many journalists \u2014 shared their experiences navigating social media platforms.\u00a0 They outlined their views on such topics as the merits of online activism, attempts at State regulation of social media platforms and the enormous challenges posed by misleading content online.<\/p>\n

Panellist Damian Radcliffe, professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, United States, said recent social campaigns \u2014 including the #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo movements \u2014 have used the \u201chashtag\u201d tool quite successfully.\u00a0 One such campaign emerged recently under the hashtag #IStandWithIlhan, referring to the United States President\u2019s criticism of several Congresswomen who planned to visit Israel.\u00a0 However, misinformation can also be easily spread online, either deliberately or accidentally, and is exacerbated by tools including bots, trolls and cyberattacks.\u00a0 \u201cMedia consumers need to be more literate than ever,\u201d he stressed, warning that new sophisticated digital editing techniques will only make matters more complicated in the future.<\/p>\n

Panellist Orly Noy, editor at the Hebrew-language site Local Call and a contributor to +972 Magazine, emphasized that viral social media movements are difficult to monitor or control.\u00a0 However, between those platforms and the traditional press is the alternative media, which adheres to the same journalistic standards as the latter.\u00a0 Joining other speakers in raising concerns about \u201cneutrality\u201d as one of those standards, both online and in print, she rejected the concept as impossible in the context of the Israeli occupation.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot be neutral in such a deeply morally violated reality,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

Panel I<\/u><\/p>\n

In the morning, the seminar convened its third panel discussion, which focused on the theme \u201cWomen of the Conflict: \u00a0Are Their Stories Reported?\u201d\u00a0 Moderated by Nanette Braun, Chief of the Communications Campaigns Service, Strategic Communications Division, Department of Global Communications, it featured four panellists: \u00a0Turgut Alp Boyraz, Middle East and North Africa News Editor at Anadolu Agency;<\/em>\u00a0Ali Ghaith, contributor to the independent global media platform OpenDemocracy; Maryse Guimond, Special Representative to the Palestine Country Office of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women\u00a0(UN-Women); and Anat Saragusti, filmmaker, book editor and freelance journalist and writer.<\/p>\n

Ms. BRAUN, opening the discussion, said conflict is known to affect women differently from men.\u00a0 No country has achieved gender equality, and in conflict and post-conflict situations, the discrimination and inequalities experienced by women are often exacerbated.\u00a0 Maternal mortality and child marriage rates rise, domestic violence increases and the right to land becomes more elusive.\u00a0 Though women are rarely at the forefront of conflict, they often bear its brunt.\u00a0 The Security Council recognized that in its landmark resolution\u00a01325\u00a0(2000) on women, peace and security, calling for measures to address the special needs of women in conflict.\u00a0 Still, not enough is heard about women in conflict and their perspectives remain underreported.\u00a0 Citing figures from the Global Media Monitoring Project, she said 1\u00a0in 4\u00a0people seen, quoted or heard in the news media are women, and less than 10\u00a0per\u00a0cent of stories focus on gender\u2011equality issues.<\/p>\n

Against that backdrop, she asked panellists to consider specific ways in which women are impacted by the Israel-Palestine conflict and whether their stories are sufficiently reflected in news reporting.<\/p>\n

Ms. SARAGUSTI responded that women do face different challenges and their stories are not, in fact, sufficiently reported.\u00a0 Sharing the story of two young women murdered in Israel in\u00a02018 as a result of domestic violence \u2014 which led to protests across the country \u2014 she said that, while Israel\u2019s media covered the murders, strikes and protests, most failed to link them to the conflict, which has flooded the population with guns and ammunition.\u00a0 Violence against women is also closely tied to discrimination and stereotypical attitudes, as well as women\u2019s exclusion from the public sphere.\u00a0 Describing her own work as a feminist reporter in Gaza, she said that, despite her expertise, male pundits were often invited to discuss the conflict on television programmes \u201cabove my head\u201d.\u00a0 Besides being humiliating, she said such practices lead media groups to miss important opportunities to view the conflict through a female lens.<\/p>\n

Mr. GHAITH said reporting on women is crucial whether there is a conflict or not.\u00a0 In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, women suffer under a patriarchal system that is present to some extent all over the world, trying their best to voice their views and engage in their communities.\u00a0 The obstacles they face also extend into workplaces, pay checks, classrooms and homes.\u00a0 \u201cThis is what we are not seeing in the media,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0 Recalling a time when he witnessed discrimination against a renowned Palestinian author, he said the men who bombarded her with aggressive questions and accusations were uncomfortable with her perspective.\u00a0 \u201cMen are afraid of women\u2019s emotions,\u201d he said, adding that they do not wish to be associated with reporting on those feelings.\u00a0 In that regard, he urged media members to shift their perspectives.<\/p>\n

Ms. GUIMOND outlined the challenges facing all residents of Gaza, including movement restrictions, settler violence, water shortages, human rights abuses and a decade-long blockade that has resulted in a perpetual humanitarian crisis and aid dependence.\u00a0 However, those elements impact girls and women differently, as families choose to take their daughters out of school due to security concerns and women bear the added burden of finding water for their families when it is in short supply.\u00a0 Moreover, the demolition of homes \u2014 the sphere where many women spend most of their time \u2014 affects them more heavily than men.\u00a0 Such matters are rarely reported in the media. \u00a0When women do appear in news stories, they are typically presented as wives or daughters, not main actors, she said.<\/p>\n

Mr. BOYRAZ, pointing out that Israel is the only country in the world that has instated mandatory military service for both men and women, said the militarization of Israel\u2019s society \u2014 and the forced \u201cmasculinization\u201d of young women \u2014 poses a major challenge.\u00a0 Meanwhile, both Palestinian men and women face serious residency and movement restrictions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly in parts of Jerusalem where homes are old and overcrowded.\u00a0 Women and children are most negatively impacted by these daily challenges, he said, adding that children in poor and crowded homes in Jerusalem often find themselves spending time in the streets where they are vulnerable to violence.<\/p>\n

Ms. BRAUN then asked the panellists to reflect on what should be done to bring women \u201cto the headlines\u201d, including changes needed in media organizations themselves.<\/p>\n

Mr. GHAITH said the vast majority of media outlets lack gender-specific reporting strategies.\u00a0 Very few portray strong women as individuals with hopes and dreams, he said, adding that gender-related topics are often dismissed as \u201cseasonal\u201d.\u00a0 In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, many news outlets focus on the impact of donor funding on recipients \u2014 many of whom are women \u2014 which further paints Palestinian women as victims with no agency of their own.\u00a0 He called for more specific training on gender-sensitive reporting for journalists, both in the Middle East and around the globe, as well as more robust gender education and sensitization programmes for communicators at the tertiary education level.<\/p>\n

Ms. SARAGUSTI said the limited numbers of Israeli women leaders have been forced to adopt the negative manners of their male counterparts.\u00a0 Noting that men regrettably still outnumber and outrank women in media agencies all over the world, she pointed out that the same is also true of the upper echelons of national and global politics.\u00a0 In Israel, the Women\u2019s Journalist Forum created a database of female experts who can be called upon as sources.\u00a0 Such solidarity is crucial, she said, adding that it can work across a range of media outlets \u2014 even those that compete with each other.<\/p>\n

Mr. BOYRAZ, asked whether a higher percentage of women media managers and reporters will result in better coverage of women, responded that consumers are \u201cfed up with hearing about Palestine\u201d as the conflict has been in the news for so long.\u00a0 Feature stories about the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including about women\u2019s lives, often gain little traction and have low numbers of readers.\u00a0 Unfortunately, journalists are often tempted to portray women in the clich\u00e9d roles of victims, including grieving wives or mothers, to boost their readership.<\/p>\n

Ms. GUIMOND said that, while both men and women suffer under conflict, men \u2014 but typically not women \u2014 are able to take part in peace negotiations.\u00a0 In terms of the media\u2019s role, she said UN-Women created the \u201cStep It Up for Gender Equality Media Compact\u201d which asks media outlets to train their staff in gender-sensitive reporting techniques.\u00a0 She urged media practitioners to look beyond statistics to share human stories the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n

Asked whether \u2014 as a young male journalist \u2014 he has seen a generational change in the way media outlets report on women, Mr.\u00a0GHAITH said today\u2019s technological shifts offer great potential for positive change.\u00a0 However, digital reporting techniques must be accompanied by larger structural and social changes.\u00a0 Narratives in both the Palestinian and Israeli media must be closely scrutinized to avoid exploiting women\u2019s stories and furthering the subjugation of Palestinian people, he stressed.<\/p>\n

The floor was then opened for questions and comments.<\/p>\n

Participants from news outlets and online platforms, as well university students, educators and non-governmental organization representatives, shared their views on the complex task of providing accurate, informative reporting on women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory \u2014 even in the face of access restrictions and long-entrenched structural inequality.\u00a0 Several speakers underscored the difficulty of striking a balance between factual reporting and compelling storytelling, while warning against falling into the twin traps of victimizing women on the one hand or glossing over their struggles on the other.<\/p>\n

TANIA HARY, Executive Director of the Israeli non-profit organization Gisha, asked panellists to consider the issue of comparative \u201cwomen\u2019s rights watching\u201d in which critics on each side of the conflict accuse the other of oppressing women.<\/p>\n

Ms. SARAGUSTI responded that the increasing number of feminist reporters, including young women reporters, are well trained in gender issues and better able to avoid such narratives.\u00a0 Ms. GUIMOND said women on the different sides of the conflict are often isolated from each other, which can skew their perspectives.<\/p>\n

AHMED SHIHAB-ELDIN, a senior correspondent for AJ+, drew attention to challenges of interviewing Palestinian women, who are often afraid to speak to outsiders.\u00a0 He also raised the mishandled coverage of the recent murders of several women in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and asked the panellists to reflect on the difficult social structures that govern the lives of Palestinian women.<\/p>\n

Mr. GHAITH, stressing that the media\u2019s purpose is to inform the people, underlined the need to present credible, accurate information no matter the subject.\u00a0 \u201cA journalist needs to unearth facts,\u201d he stressed, emphasizing that the same must be true even in the sometimes-sensationalized cases of murders and honour killings.<\/p>\n

Mr. BOYRAZ agreed with other speakers who said the media \u201cis moving in the right direction\u201d.\u00a0 However, many women still feel that the more technical roles in the field \u2014 such as camera operators \u2014 are not suitable for them, he said, stressing that more work remains to be done.\u00a0 To that, Mr.\u00a0GHAITH added that having women in such critical roles as camera people would literally \u201cshift the lens\u201d through which media stories are told.<\/p>\n

Ms. GUIMOND described a recent study of masculinity in four countries in the Middle East, including the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which found that young men were, on average, more conservative than their fathers on gender equality.\u00a0 In that vein, UN-Women is focusing on household roles and social attitudes in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.<\/p>\n

Ms. NOY spotlighted the \u201cWomen Wage Peace\u201d initiative \u2014 in which Israeli and Palestinian women have united to demand the launch of peace negotiations and women\u2019s participation in them.\u00a0 She nonetheless voiced disappointment that, because of its broad scope, that movement is also unable to make more specific demands.\u00a0 She asked the panellists whether the identity of \u201cwoman\u201d can ever eclipse other identity differences, such as race or religion.<\/p>\n

Ms. SARAGUSTI, speaking about her experience working with \u201cWomen Wage Peace\u201d, said it represents an exploration of the core agenda of women in Israel \u2014 both Palestinians and Jews.\u00a0 Agreeing that there are differences among its members, she asked whether Israeli settler women could ever be considered feminists, as they are sitting on Palestinian women\u2019s land.\u00a0 Stressing that one must at times collaborate with her opponent, she cited the example of women in Liberia who successfully took part in peace talks.<\/p>\n

Similarly, Ms. GUIMOND underlined the need to build trust among women\u2019s groups, \u201cagree to disagree on certain things\u201d and give the process time to work.\u00a0 She cited the role of women in Northern Ireland\u2019s peace negotiations as a positive example.<\/p>\n

Panel II<\/u><\/p>\n

The meeting\u2019s fourth and final panel, also moderated by Ms. Braun, focused on the theme: \u00a0\u201cThe Israel-Palestine Conflict and the Hashtag Activism Phenomenon\u201d.\u00a0 It featured presentations by: \u00c7etiner \u00c7etin, journalist and regular commentator on\u00a0HaberTurk TV;\u00a0<\/em>Orly Noy, editor at Local Call and contributor to +972 Magazine; Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, senior correspondent for AJ+; and Damian Radcliffe, professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, United States.<\/p>\n

Ms. BRAUN noted the rising influence of social media in shaping public opinion and building movements.\u00a0 \u201cToday, anyone, anywhere with Internet access or a mobile phone can directly engage with large audiences \u2014 or become part of an easily reached target audience,\u201d she said.\u00a0 While social media facilitates citizen activism by providing a platform to share information and join forces, there have also been sophisticated campaigns to spread misinformation and manipulate people. \u00a0Describing the tool as a double-edge sword, she said its power to promote peace or exacerbate violence has rendered \u201chashtag activism\u201d a hotly debated topic.\u00a0 Criticism of social media has focused on its lack of publication standards and editorial oversight, she said, asking panellists to reflect on the role of online activism in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict.<\/p>\n

Mr. RADCLIFFE, noting that the hashtag phenomenon has only existed for a decade, said several major social campaigns have used it successfully \u2014 including the #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo movements.\u00a0 One such campaign emerged recently under the hashtag #IStandWithIlhan, referring to the United States President\u2019s criticism of several Congresswomen who planned to visit Israel.\u00a0 At the same time, he said, the trend has received criticism from people describing it as \u201cslacktivism\u201d and emphasizing that real activism takes time and effort.\u00a0 Turning to the challenge of misinformation, he said it can be spread either deliberately or accidentally, and is exacerbated by tools including bots, trolls and cyberattacks.\u00a0 \u201cMedia consumers need to be more literate than ever,\u201d he said, warning that \u201cdeep fakes\u201d and other sophisticated digital editing techniques will only make matters more complicated.\u00a0 He also referred to five emerging trends, describing them as misinformation and disinformation; weaponization of social media; privacy media concerns; migration to closed networks; and algorithms.<\/p>\n

Mr. SHIHAB-ELDIN, voicing his view that journalism itself is a form of activism, recalled that the press was once the gatekeeper of the world\u2019s information.\u00a0 Today, shifts described by Mr.\u00a0Radcliffe have totally changed that paradigm.\u00a0 The specific facts that are used \u2014 and how they are framed \u2014 greatly impact the social conversation, he said, describing his own life experience as inextricably linked to his work as a journalist.\u00a0 In the case of the Israeli\u2011Palestinian conflict, he posed the question of whether journalists claiming to be objective are, in fact, concealing a larger truth on the ground.\u00a0 Displaying slides of retweeted media headlines \u2014 notably about Palestinians killed by Israeli forces during protests in Gaza \u2014 he said their framing frequently omits important facts, for example, about who caused the deaths.\u00a0 \u201cThis, to me, is stunningly irresponsible,\u201d he said, adding that headlines are widely shared on social media and then influence public opinion.<\/p>\n

Ms. NOY said social media has presented both new possibilities and limitations for activists.\u00a0 Such platforms have helped Palestinians overcome physical obstacles, such as the geographic fragmentation that used to prevent people in different areas from joining together.\u00a0 \u201cIt also allows them to engage in a kind of activism that does not endanger them \u2014 as much,\u201d she said, stressing that using the wrong hashtag can still land individuals in prison.\u00a0 While many successful hashtag campaigns have taken off globally, very few have been launched about the occupation in Hebrew.\u00a0 Those issues are closely linked to the failings of Israel\u2019s mainstream media, she said, noting that social media was created in part to \u201cbypass the gatekeepers\u201d, but is not actually playing that intended role in Israel.\u00a0 To drive a successful social media campaign, the public must be primed to absorb information, which she said is not currently the case in that country.<\/p>\n

Mr. \u00c7ETIN said that, in many Middle Eastern countries, there are no laws governing how to use social media.\u00a0 In others, users face grave consequences if they break national rules.\u00a0 While tweets often become news in themselves, their sources can rarely be verified, posing major challenges for journalists.\u00a0 Describing strict social media checks by State authorities in both Syria and Iraq, he said such surveillance is sometimes used to block entry into those countries.\u00a0 Though some online campaigns about the Occupied Palestinian Territory are gaining traction, Israeli authorities have removed thousands of related hashtags, thereby preventing nascent movements from taking root.\u00a0 The Palestinian Authority also imposes strict sanctions against social media users, he noted.<\/p>\n

Ms. BRAUN, agreeing that the issue of online rules is an extremely complex one, pointed out that calls for regulation have clashed with the view that any limits on social media use constitute an attack on the right to free speech.\u00a0 She asked the panellists to offer their views on that question in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and to propose some effective actions.<\/p>\n

Ms. NOY said viral social media movements are difficult to monitor or control.\u00a0 However, a third sphere \u2014 the alternative media \u2014 can act as a mediator between social platforms and the traditional press, while adhering to the same journalistic standards as the latter.\u00a0 To the question of neutrality raised by other panellists, she agreed that no such position is possible in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.\u00a0 \u201cWe cannot be neutral in such a deeply morally violated reality,\u201d she stressed.<\/p>\n

Mr. SHIHAB-ELDIN agreed that neutrality on many issues \u2014 including online movements such as #BlackLivesMatter \u2014 is impossible.\u00a0 Major structural inequities exist around the world, notably in the case of violence perpetrated against African-Americans by police officers.\u00a0 He voiced alarm that several social media platforms have been working with Israeli authorities to determine which posts are permitted and which are taken down.\u00a0 Urging participants to question their own social media use, he stressed that there is no country in which speaking out on those platforms is totally without repercussions.\u00a0 Indeed, some Governments \u2014 especially in the Gulf region \u2014 have enacted strict laws about social media use and imprison people who violate them.<\/p>\n

Mr. RADCLIFFE pointed to the impossibility of any real systemic regulation, noting that the sheer volume of content on social media platforms is too massive to oversee effectively.\u00a0 Individuals always find a way around regulations.\u00a0 Against that backdrop, he urged social media users to better understand how these platforms work and can shape information.<\/p>\n

Mr. \u00c7ETIN said that, while social media use varies around the world, the viral nature of its content remains widely uncontrolled.\u00a0 Expressing concern about the imminent rise of \u201csocial media cults\u201d, especially in the Middle East, he called for action to prevent such dangerous movements and to combat trolls who seek to sabotage their enemies online.\u00a0 Noting that mainstream media outlets have begun using social media as a source of information, he said leaks that previously appeared in traditional outlets now appear online.\u00a0 While many Twitter accounts persistently criticize Turkey\u2019s Government, authorities have declined to ban them.\u00a0 \u201cTurkey does not suffer from such politically motivated bans,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n

The floor was then opened for an interactive discussion with the panellists.<\/p>\n

Participants offered comments, asked questions and shared their own experiences with social media platforms.\u00a0 They outlined their views on the merits of online activism, the role of State regulation and the challenges posed by misleading content.\u00a0 Some also shared their experiences with direct threats from troll accounts.<\/p>\n

AMIRA HASS, who participated in the morning panel discussion, pointed out that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and President Donald Trump of the United States use social media to bully and delegitimize journalists.\u00a0 While they largely refuse interviews with the traditional press, they instead speak directly to audiences \u201cabove the head of the media\u201d, which could hold them accountable for their words, she said, describing this behaviour as dangerous.<\/p>\n

Mr. GHAITH, another participant in the morning panel, stressed that what may be considered activism by Palestinians may be perceived as incitement by the other side.\u00a0 He asked the panellists what they consider to be the best social media techniques for Palestinian activists.<\/p>\n

Mr. RADCLIFFE agreed that \u201cone man\u2019s freedom fighter is another man\u2019s terrorist\u201d.\u00a0 Noting that social media gives users insight and perspective into other people\u2019s lives, he said a new breed of \u201csolutions journalism\u201d \u2014 which seeks to illustrate positive examples of people engaging with their communities \u2014 is useful in combating negative, one-sided narratives such as those often seen around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<\/p>\n

To the same point, Ms. NOY spotlighted a Palestinian initiative called Hamleh, which works to educate civil society groups and activists about launching effective social media campaigns.\u00a0 Mr.\u00a0SHIHAB-ELDIN described hashtags as somewhat superficial, emphasizing that \u201ccontent is king\u201d.\u00a0 Striking a similar tone, Mr.\u00a0\u00c7ETIN said powerful images of the occupation \u2014 even those removed from platforms by Israel\u2019s authorities \u2014 will somehow find their way to consumers.<\/p>\n

For information media. Not an official record.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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