Script

Pallywood: A Misinformation Warfare against Gaza(2024)

Created by Maya Hariri, Houda Oumattotto, Larissa Schäfer und Élise Rehbein

Welcome to “Truth Uncovered,” the podcast where we dive deep into the complex world of misinformation, fake news, and media manipulation. In today’s digital age, separating fact from fiction has never been more challenging or more important. From viral hoaxes to disinformation campaigns, we’re constantly bombarded with content designed to mislead and manipulate.

In this episode, we’re shedding light on one of the latest controversial aspects of media manipulation—Pallywood, a term coined to describe alleged staged media events in the context of the War on Palestine. We’ll explore how misinformation can distort public perception, fuel conflicts, and undermine trust in journalism.

Let’s get started.

On the 7th of October 2023, the War on Gaza has re-captured global attention, with media outlets and social media platforms becoming arenas for competing narratives.  

First, you will learn about the concept of bias. Next, we’ll dive into the question ‘What is Pallywood?’ We’ll explore the origins of the term and how it’s been used to describe alleged media manipulation in the context of the war on Palestine.  

Then we’ll also examine with our experts how Pallywood can impact the public discourse — namely influencing international opinions to shaping policies and actions on the ground.

So, stay tuned as we unravel the layers of this controversial narrative and explore the impact it has on our world today.

This isn’t a movie trailer, it’s the reality of Gazans, and their daily life since October the 7th. As a matter of fact, in addition to the value of their life, their virtual presence in the media is also constantly discredited and questioned. One way their voices are kept quiet is through media misinformation techniques like bias by selection omission, statistics, word choice, subjunctive active and passive reporting as well as bias through photography and camera angle…

Pallywood is a neologism coined by the American historian Richard Landes, blending “Palestine” and “Hollywood.” It became known through his short film “Pallywood: According to Palestinian Sources,” released in 2005. In the film, Landes analyzes footage of shootings in Palestine during the Second Intifada and suggests that the people in these videos are so-called “Crisis Actors”, pretending to be wounded and that the events are staged. He refers to these as Pallywood productions which he argues is a widespread conspiracy or campaign against Israel.  

Landes continues to use the term “Pallywood” as a focal point for his arguments and here is what he says. […]

All of this began in 2000 with the video of Muhammad al-Durrah, a Palestinian boy that was filmed being shot and killed by Israeli soldiers. Richard Landes believes the footage was staged to provoke international anger against Israel. He therefore initiated the Al-Durah Project that aims to investigate and analyze the events surrounding the death of Muhammad al-Durrah.

This campaign fuels the most dangerous disease of our digital era, which is the Misinformation plague. Isn’t it ironic how Landes uses misinformation techniques to uncover alleged misinformation? 

Why is the Pallywood-narrative important today and in how far does it influence us?

The Pallywood narrative undermines the credibility of Palestinian claims, delegitimizing Palestinian grievances and therefore the Palestinian cause in general. By doing that it simultaneously legitimizes Israel, which can have dangerous consequences in times of the Israeli war on Gaza.   

This can be seen in the example of the photographer Mohammed Salem, a Palestinian photojournalist, who won the 2024 World Press Photo Contest. 

There was a media backlash and the Pallywood narrative seemed to dominated the media landscape. There were many calims that the picture was staged. 

We think that it is essential to recognize the underlying narratives and patterns in these debates for gaining a balanced view of global conflicts. Understanding Pallywood highlights the issue of misinformation in wartime, showing the need to critically evaluate news from conflict zones.

There is a research gap regarding the actual impact of Pallywood. While there is substantial debate about its existence and implications, this term reappears every time after an escalation in Palestine. There is plenty of empirical research on how misinformation influences public opinion, however there is very limited research on the effect of Pallywood on the public discourse. This gap highlights the need for further studies to understand the extent and consequences of media manipulation in conflict zones.

Shakuntala Banaji, an expert on disinformation and a media professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, has been monitoring false claims online since the 7th of October.  She describes Pallywood as an insult added to injury. 

At the heart of the insult are Pallywood claims made by pro-Israeli accounts online about a young Gazan named, Saleh Al-Jafarawi. He has repeatedly been accused of being a “crisis actor” working for Hamas where he allegedly stages scenes to make himself look like a victim.  

These all egations spread rapidly, even involving official government figures like Hananya Naftali, who previously worked for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In one of Naftali’s posts, a video allegedly claims Al-Jafarawi “miraculously healed in a day” from an Israeli strike. However, this video was manipulated. It splices together footage of two different individuals. Online users debunked the claim, showing that one man in the videos is Al-Jafarawi, a Gazan YouTuber and singer, while the other is Mohammed Zendiq, who lost his leg after Israeli forces attacked the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank on July 24.

Despite the claim being thoroughly debunked by multiple news outlets, Naftali has not yet removed his post, and allegations against Al-Jafarawi continue to circulate.

Another prominent figure linked to Pallywood claims is Eve Cohen, who has sparked outrage among pro-Palestinian communities with her TikTok videos. In these clips, she mockingly portrays Palestinian mothers, applying makeup to simulate injuries and even wrapping her head in a Palestinian keffiyeh while holding a melon as if it were a baby. These videos are offensive and reinforce anti-Palestinian conspiracy theories that claim Palestinians stage suffering for media attention.

As Gaza faces sufferings, including a lack of electricity and water, some pro-Israeli social media influencers have exacerbated the situation by posting videos mocking Gazans. These influencers are seen using excessive amounts of water in their kitchens and bathrooms, further insulting those affected by the ongoing war.

Seriously, is Palestinian genocide the new source of Israeli comedy? 

Cohen’s extremely derogatory and insulting videos are one of many anti-Palestinian racist conspiracy theories of ‘pallywood,’ where some zionists claim that Palestinians manipulate media through ‘faking suffering’. 

What sort of sadist racism is this?

With us today, we have Dr. Abdulrahman Al Shami, a professor at the Mass communication department at Qatar University. Hello Dr al Shami and thank you for joining us today. […]

As an expert in media studies and digital journalism do you have any suggestions on how to raise awareness about misinformation during the ongoing war on Palestine? […]

Finally, as we conclude this episode, it’s important to reflect on the findings from independent investigative organizations such as Correctiv in Germany and Logically Facts in Ireland. These media organizations specialize in fact-checking controversial topics. After conducting thorough research, they found no evidence to support claims that staged actors or other “Pallywood”related fabrications are being used by Palestinians to manipulate global perceptions of the conflict in Gaza. While images from various war zones are sometimes taken out of context on social media, these instances were not linked to Gaza, Palestine, or Hamas. There was no indication of a Palestinian media industry deliberately manufacturing or simulating content to sway international opinion.

German media outlets, including ZDF, have pointed out that the term “Pallywood” is often paired with unrelated images on social media, which undermines Palestinians who express their perspectives online. “Claims of the use of crisis actors distract from real humanitarian issues facing civilian populations,” says Kyle Walter, Head of Research at Logically Facts.

In an era where misinformation spreads rapidly, it is crucial to remain critical of the content we encounter, question the biases we’re exposed to, and recognize how narratives can shape public opinion.

Truth and falsehood are rarely black and white. Regardless of one’s perspective, it is essential not to let our freedoms be used to fuel propaganda. We must critically evaluate information, particularly when it comes to media. The concept of “Pallywood” not only undermines the genuine struggles of innocent people but also deprives them of the opportunity to share their truths and seek change. On closer examination, the term “Pallywood” reveals the opposite of what it claims: misinformation used as a tool to manipulate social media discussions, documentaries, news reporting, and public opinion about the war.

For more details and sources, please check the description of this episode. A special thanks to Dr. Abdulrahman Al Shami for his valuable insights.

Thank you for listening!

Sources:

• https://www.972mag.com/pallywood-trope-second-intifada/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjJKz3vUVW8
• https://www.aldurah.com/the-al-durah-incident/background/pallywood/
• https://www.instagram.com/bsannefrank/
• https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-palestine-war-netanyahu-spokesman-pallywood-claim-debunked
• https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/11/01/pallywood-gazans-are-falsely-accused-of-staging-injury-and-death-online
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67760523
• https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/opinions/pallywood-gaza-sequel/
• https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/pallywood-how-denial-of-civilian-harm-has-proliferated
• https://correctiv.org/faktencheck/hintergrund/2023/12/11/pallywood-fotos-eines-syrischen-maedchens-werden-seit-jahren-fuer-desinformation-missbraucht/
• https://www.logicallyfacts.com/en/analysis/pallywood-how-denial-of-civilian-harm-has-proliferated
• https://www.worldpressphoto.org/collection/photo-contest/2024/Mohammed-Salem/1
• https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/what-is-pallywood-palestinians-falsely-accused-faking-devastation-1234869765/
• https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/politik/ausland/propaganda-hamas-israel-crisis-actor-pallywood-100.html
• https://www.newsweek.com/israeli-influencers-are-mocking-palestinians-suffering-gaza-1838655
• https://tribune.com.pk/story/2442562/israeli-influencer-eve-cohen-sparks-outrage-with-tiktok-video-mocking-palestinian-mothers
• https://theconversation.com/gaza-is-now-the-frontline-of-a-global-information-war-221356
• Why the ‘Pallywood’ myth endures (972mag.com)
• ‘Pallywood’: Truth and falsehoods about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – Truth or Fake
• (france24.com)
• What Is Pallywood? Palestinians Are Falsely Accused of Faking Carnage (rollingstone.com)
• False claims of staged deaths surge in Israel-Gaza war (bbc.com)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Ty5iUEWoU
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QTDWCWo900