Hamas and the Media: Politics and strategy PDF
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Hamas and the Media The Islamic resistance movement ‘Hamas’ is, arguably, one of the most important Palestinian organisations in recent decades. Since Hamas’s establish- ment, it has extensively utilised media as a means of mobilisation for its political and ideological agendas, and its tactics have undergone a remarkable evolution, from graffiti art to satellite broadcasting. This book presents the first systematic and historical contextualisation of the development of Hamas’s media strategy. It determines three key phases in Hamas’s development and explores the complex and important relationship at work between its politics and use of media. Assessing four elements of the Hamas media strategy – the media message (discourse), the media objectives, the infrastructure, and the target audience – this book tracks how Hamas grew its media infrastructure, and looks at how the idea of resistance has permeated the media discourse. Determining both tactical and strategic objectives and detailing the various layers of the target audience, it offers the first in- depth academic study of the Hamas media strategy. This book’s exploration of the key role the media plays in the Palestinian issue makes it a timely and relevant contribution to the study of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict and a valuable resource for students, scholars and policy- makers working in Middle Eastern studies. Wael Abdelal is head of the Arts and Social Sciences department at the Univer- sity College of Applied Sciences, Gaza, and a lecturer in media studies and politics. Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Democratization and Government Edited by Larbi Sadiki Qatar University This series examines new ways of understanding democratization and government in the Middle East. The varied and uneven processes of change, occurring in the Middle Eastern region, can no longer be read and interpreted solely through the prism of Euro- American transitology. Seeking to frame critical parameters in light of these new horizons, this series instigates reinterpretations of democracy and propagates formerly ‘subaltern’ nar- ratives of democratization. Reinvigorating discussion on how Arab and Middle Eastern peoples and societies seek good government, Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Demo- cratization and Government provides tests and contests of old and new assumptions. 1 Revolution, Revolt and Reform in 8 Al Jazeera and Democratization North Africa The Rise of the Arab Public Sphere The Arab Spring and Beyond Ezzeddine Abdelmoula Edited by Ricardo René Larémont 9 Revolutionary Egypt 2 Informal Power in the Greater Connecting Domestic and Middle East International Struggles Hidden Geographies Edited by Reem Abou-E l-Fadl Edited by Luca Anceschi, Gennaro 10 Oil States in the New Middle East Gervasio and Andrea Teti Uprisings and Stability 3 Crowds and Politics in North Africa Edited by Kjetil Selvik and Bjørn Tunisia, Algeria and Libya Olav Utvik Andrea Khalil 11 Politics of the Islamic Tradition 4 Egypt’s Long Revolution The Thought of Muhammad Protest Movements and Uprisings Al- Ghazali Maha Abdelrahman Mohammed Moussa 5 Sectarianism in Iraq 12 The Arab Lobby and the US The Making of State and Nation Since Factors for Success and Failure 1920 Dania Koleilat Khatib Khalil F. Osman 13 Hamas and the Media 6 Sufism and Politics in Morocco Politics and Strategy Activism and Dissent Wael Abdelal Abdelilah Bouasria 7 Political and Constitutional Transitions in North Africa Actors and Factors Justin O. Frosini and Francesco Biagi Hamas and the Media Politics and strategy Wael Abdelal First published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 Wael Abdelal The right of Wael Abdelal to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-i n-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-i n-Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN: 978-1-138-63916-4 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-63714-3 (ebk) Typeset in Times New Roman by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear To the memory of my kind and loving father, I dedicate this work This page intentionally left blank Contents List of illustrations viii Preface ix Acknowledgements x 1 Background: media strategy, the Arab and Palestinian media, and Hamas and its media 1 2 Historicising the Palestinian media: hegemony, identity, and resistance 22 3 Hamas’s project of resistance and the resistance media 46 4 Hamas’s media strategy, the context of the first intifada 68 5 Hamas’s media strategy post Oslo: from clandestine to public 94 6 Hamas’s media strategy: the context of the pairing of governance and resistance ‘Hokoumat Moqawama’ 122 7 Reflections on the Hamas media strategy 162 8 Conclusion 192 Appendices 1–8 195 Glossary 206 References 207 Index 220 Illustrations Figures 7.1 The Hamas target audiences 179 7.2 The determinants of the Hamas media discourse for the different categories 180 7.3 The Hamas media department 183 Tables 6.1 PSR poll no. 27 (13–15 March, 2008) 133 6.2 PSR poll no. 28 (5–7 June, 2008) 133 6.3 PSR poll no. 30 (3–5 December, 2008) 134 7.1 Context and discourse 167 7.2 Examples of Hamas’s terminology 169 7.3 Approach to other countries 181 7.4 The media 182 Appendix 1 Media theory and definition 195 Preface This book examines the Hamas media strategy in three different periods, and in its historical and analytical context. The first period begins with the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada in 1987 and ends in 1993. In this period, Hamas was strictly a secret/underground organisation. The second stage is from 1994 to 2005. This period witnessed the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority in 1994 and the second intifada. The third period begins after the 2006 elections, where Hamas came to power after its victory in the Palestinian legis- lative council (PLC) elections. The book is an empirical investigation which relies on two qualitative methods: interviews and document analysis. It illustrates how the Hamas media strategy developed over the periods mentioned and outlines the overall media strategy. The research critically assesses four elements of the Hamas media strategy: the media message (discourse), the media objectives, the infra- structure, and the target audience. The present research concludes that Hamas, since 1987, has developed a media strategy based on the four elements men- tioned. In particular, it finds that the idea of resistance is the key element of the Hamas media discourse. Political and ideological/religious agendas and impulses drive Hamas’s discourse. Second, it finds that there are two types of objective – tactical and strategic. The former are subject to the context, while the latter are based on ideological political agendas. Third, it finds that there are five ‘circles’ of target audience which Hamas considers in its media strategy. Finally, it finds that the Hamas media infrastructure expanded from 1987 to the present by using the maximum capacity of the media outlets and benefited from the new media institutions which fall under the rubric of ‘independent media’. Overall, the book is the first in-d epth academic study on Hamas’s media strategy.
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