Western Progressive Dupes Must Quit Supporting The Information Operations War Against Israel

Hamas could end the war now by releasing the hostages and leaving Gaza to new leadership


Having just returned from Europe, I was a spectator to rising levels of anti-Israel propaganda as part of the international Information Operations (IO) campaign against Israel. Faux climate activist and Uber-progressive Greta Thunberg led a flotilla of anti-Israel liberals staged in various boats for her second trip towards Gaza from Spain. The European media repeated Thunberg’s slander of Israel alleged Genocide against the Palestinians.


The IO campaign against Israel must be faced and won for Israel and the US

That same media put the thousands of anti-Israel protesters supporting the flotilla in a light of modern-day resistance heroes. Throughout Europe, progressive European governments are committing to recognizing a “Palestinian” state soon. While in Ireland, I saw ubiquitous “free Palestine” stickers yet absolutely no Israeli flags. Watching European TV channels like BBC, I was inundated with pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel propaganda with false claims Israel was engaged in genocide. This propaganda is having real-world effects on the war by stiffening the resolve of Hamas not to return the remaining hostages. With the IO support Hamas continues to resist Israeli demands to end the conflict. The IO campaign against Israel must be faced and won for Israel and the US.

First, the start of the IO campaign: Around a month after the October 7, 2023 massacre, the leader of Hezbollah, Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, kicked off an IO campaign during his “Martyrs Day” address. Hamas had just committed the atrocities of raping, torturing, and murdering around 1,200 Israeli men, women, and children/babies and then the terrorists went back to Gaza with hundreds of hostages to hide amongst Gazan civilians. Hezbollah assisted Hamas with missile attacks against northern Israel within days. Hamas fighters videotaped their tortures and murders, clearly intending to force Israel into Gaza in pursuit, creating the likelihood of Gazan civilian casualties. The Nasrallah address further described below detailed the IO plan of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran to garner assistance from supporters (and useful idiots) from around the world.

Nasrallah in his address (he was later killed by the IDF) alleged the rapes and murders of Israelis was committed by IDF forces retaking the civilian neighborhoods from Hamas. Unfortunately, ridiculous assertions gained traction through IO that the only targets of Hamas were IDF military. After praising the murderers, Nasrallah went on to praise the critical IO component of the war. 



This was all Information operations used as a battlefield function

He saluted “all those who took to the streets, in support and in solidarity” around the world. He then gave firm direction for the IO campaign: “It is the duty of (Hamas supporters) to establish and reiterate these facts (including allegations of Israel killing its own civilians and bombing Gaza Baptist hospital) in the public-opinion-warfare….. This is the least we can do in this battle.…. Those who remain silent must reconsider their faith”. Nasrallah openly demanded assistance fighting what he calls “public-opinion-warfare”.

Beyond attempting to frame Israel as the aggressor and war criminal, and claiming his side was turning world opinion, Nasrallah demanded Muslims and Muslim nations use IO to force a ceasefire: “it is the responsibility of…. Everyone all and each….. Arab and Muslim state must spare no effort to at least put an end to the war.” Nasrallah exhorted Muslim nations to “Sever relations, recall ambassadors”. (Sign Of The Times, Nov. 3, 2023)

Nasrallah also attempted to claim Hamas acted on its own without the assistance or direction of Iran. Impossible to believe, as the Wall Street Journal has reported on the roughly 500 Hamas fighters training in Iran before the attack (Wall Street Journal, Oct. 25, 2023)

This was all Information operations used as a battlefield function. IO is defined as the integrated employment, during military operations, of information-related capabilities in concert with other lines of operation to influence, disrupt, corrupt, or usurp the decision-making of adversaries and potential adversaries while protecting our own. (NIST)




Several progressive media sources and progressive politicians became tools of Hamas Information Operations

With respect to Hamas, IO controls the flow of propaganda to influencers, primarily media, around the region and the world. Beyond Nasrallah’s speech, this was also seen in the quick blame against Israel for the Islamic Jihad missile which fell on top of the Gaza Baptist Hospital within weeks of Oct 7. For days following the tragedy and pushing the false narrative propaganda IO, protests ginned up throughout the world. By the time Israel showed solid evidence the missile came from Islamic Jihad the IO damage was done.

Unfortunately, beyond the expected anti-Israel protests in heavily Islamic London and other European cities due to IO, even Democrat US Representatives became dupes of the IO plan. Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib not only protested Israel, but pushed the Hamas anti-Jewish genocidal slogan “From the River to the Sea” (destruction of Jewish Israel). (AP News, Nov. 6, 2023)

Shortly after Nasrallah’s Martyr’s Day address, Tlaib was again in the News with the other Democratic “Squad” members spewing anti-Israel “IO” propaganda. (C-Span Video, Nov, 13 , 2023)

Several progressive media sources and progressive politicians became tools of Hamas Information Operations. Despite under .1% of Palestinians being killed during the war (by the Hamas health agency numbers which have been discredited), the Western progressive sources have latched on to the preposterous “genocide” slander against Israel.

Israel’s necessary aim is destroying Hamas to prevent any more Oct 7 massacres, and the seizure of major parts of Gaza city is required to that end. Hamas could end the war now by releasing the hostages and leaving Gaza to new leadership.


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Col. Bill Connor—— – Col. Bill Connor is a retired U.S. Army Infantry officer, attorney, and founding partner of NATIONAL DEFENSE CONSULTANTS, LLC. While in the Army, Connor logged multiple deployments to the Middle East, and he has commanded both light Infantry and Ranger training companies. From 2007 through 2008 he was deployed to Afghanistan where he became the senior U.S. military adviser in Helmand Province. Since the start of the October 2023 war in Israel, he has provided analysis to NEWSMAX.