'Tufan Al-Aqsa' changed Middle East narrative: AJ Forum

The second and last day of the 15th Al Jazeera Forum held under the title “Transformations in the Middle East after Tufan Al-Aqsa” was dedicated to four sessions that discussed the developments in the Middle East and elsewhere since October 7 last year.

The first session was titled “Post-Tufan Balances at the Regional Level: Powers, Axes and Strategies.”

The discussion focused on the impact of “Tufan Al-Aqsa” and the changes it inspired within the realm of resistance and the Palestinian national liberation movement, as well as the political, economic and social spheres of the Israeli occupation.

The second session was titled “Gaza Rearranges the Priorities of the International Agenda: The Middle East, Conflict in Ukraine and Tensions with China,”. It discussed how the Israeli war on Gaza reshaped and reordered the priorities of the international agenda. The significance of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has diminished in the spectrum of global crises and conflicts, along with the perceived threat it posed to European and global security and the foundations of the international order.

The third session titled “The Targeting of Journalists in the War on Gaza: Realities, Challenges and Protection Efforts” talked about the facts about the conflict, and conveying the truth during the war on Gaza as a fundamental challenge. The media emerged as a notable casualty, despite its distinct insignias, journalist protection protocols and advocacy organisations, all of which failed to shield it from being targeted. The unprecedented toll of casualties among journalists and their families underscores that the Israeli war machine treated journalists not as collateral damage but as deliberate targets.

The fourth session was titled “Special Dialogue with Influencers on the Conflict of Narratives” and moderated by Elia Ghorbia, storyteller and producer at AJ+, with speakers Nicole Jenes, Belal Khaled, Ahmed Hijazi, Mohammed al Kandari, Kareem Dennis (online). They discussed their experiences as social media influencers and their roles in the ongoing conflict between Palestinian and Israeli narratives. They focused on the contributions of young people in navigating this conflict, the various platforms they utilise, and the disparities in platform terms and policies.

They also analysed the demographics and engagement quality of the audiences following these influencers.

Moreover, the session scrutinised the shared content, its origins and the methods employed for verifying its accuracy. They also fathomed the challenges encountered by influencers and the pressures stemming from their positions, as well as the influence they wield on their audiences and public opinion.

Nicole Jenes, a content creator, said: “The humanity of the narrative presented by the influencer is aimed to stop the aggression on Gaza.” Kareem Dennis, a British rapper, criticised the drawbacks of the virtual world and the misuse of AI to target Palestinian civilians.

In conclusion, they highlighted the importance of the influencers’ impact that has reached all parts of the world, especially the group of young people and students who became aware about the falsity of the narratives of the occupation. They understood the fact that it is a war of narratives to disavow the crimes of genocide.

The revelation of the Palestinian reality contributed to the escalation of student strikes in universities in many Western countries. They saw that this new generation who are the future decision-makers will contribute to stopping the Israeli apartheid state. The most important achievement of the influencers was documenting the facts and crimes committed against the defenseless Palestinians. They counter attacked the blue flies, and contested the falsification of facts. The most important aspect was the psychological support for the residents of Gaza and conveying a picture of their daily suffering.

At the conclusion of the session, it was agreed to intensify co-operation among influencers to spread awareness of the Palestinian issue through text, images, and content to awaken the masses who do not know what is happening in Gaza.