Dutch-Israeli sociologist: “This war is also a propaganda war”
For Dutch-Israeli political sociologist Hilla Dayan, affiliated with Amsterdam University College, it is currently a “miserable time.” For years she has criticized the Israeli government. “This war is not only fought with soldiers and rockets: it is also a propaganda war.”
Two weeks after Hamas’ attack on Israel, tempers have still not calmed. Every day brings new atrocities. Hilla Dayan, a political sociologist at Amsterdam University College and born and raised in Israel, closely follows everything that happens in her homeland.
Dayan is one of the founders of Gate48, a platform for Israelis who, like her, are critical of the Israeli government. She also founded Academia for Equality, an organization dedicated to “democratization, equality and access to higher education for all communities in Israel,” according to the site.
How have the past few days been for you?
“Every day has been tough and intense. There is so much information coming at all of us. I am trying to get peace of mind, but I have concerns for my family. I talk to them very often, several times a day. It's a miserable time. Every day feels like an eternity. And who knows what the next day will bring.”
Last week, some Jewish schools had to be secured. Leiden University closed a building for security reasons. The war reaches far. What is it like for you to be Israeli at the moment?
“First of all: I have been in the Netherlands for 20 years. I am the founder of Gate48, a platform for Israelis in the Netherlands who are critical of Israeli politics. We find the current war disastrous and the support from Europe and the Netherlands very one-sided at the moment. The Israeli government is deliberately steering for escalation in order to maintain power.”
“In Israel, so many people are so angry with the Israeli government, but here in Europe I do not hear this. I do not understand this. Europeans should be aware of how extreme the Israeli government is, how it ignores the lives of its own citizens, how the government has set aside all deals for cease-fires or prisoner exchanges.”
“Within the Jewish community, there is a lot of anger and a lot of sadness. People are afraid, and I understand that. But sometimes the fear is also fueled by all the news and propaganda that is circulating now. Because the war is not only being waged with soldiers and missiles: It is also a propaganda war. Each side is trying to show its own images, stories, and narratives. By the way, we at Gate48 are just as much a part of this narrative war. Our goal is to criticize the catastrophic actions and course of action of the government in Israel.”
Are you afraid?
“Not for myself, but for my family. I want to believe that no one wants civilian casualties, no Israeli, no Palestinian no European. So far I have been relatively protected from angry reactions from outside. Few woes, fortunately, and many beautiful and kind messages. It was different in the past; our critical voice is not the most popular voice. Israelis abroad are often even more afraid than Israelis within Israel itself. They have been brainwashed by all the hasbara, the Hebrew word for propaganda, and are sometimes even actively asked to support the Israeli government. I was against this government from the first moment, and I want to remind people that this government is disastrous: for the lives of its own citizens, let alone for the Palestinians in Gaza.”
What is the atmosphere like at the UvA at the moment?
“I am not there, I am in France for my research, but I hear from many that it is very tense. While I am overwhelmed by all the nice reactions, which is heartwarming, the same is not true for my Palestinian colleagues and friends: They do not receive the same support and that hurts me. Even within our progressive university, Palestinians are often seen only as victims or perpetrators, not as people like us.”
There are demonstrations for both the Israeli and Palestinian cause, including, for example, a letter that went to the UvA administration this week. How can we prevent further polarization and make sure we don't become diametrically opposed?
“In my opinion, it is not complicated to call war crimes war crimes, regardless of the identity of the attackers. Furthermore, people have the right to come together, organize, be together, and feel the pain.”
“In Israel, there are Jewish and Palestinian citizens working together. There are initiatives to protect each other and provide social support to affected communities. There, togetherness between Israelis and Palestinians is not a dream, not an abstract concept: it is a daily reality. We here in the Netherlands can follow the example of these activists.”
What should be the role of the UvA in this? How do you view the Executive Board’s statement?
“It is good that initiatives are being taken at the university and different voices are being heard. I am currently in France, but here pro-Palestinian demonstrations and even university meetings in response to the situation have been banned. I am afraid that at Dutch universities, where fortunately we currently have such democratic policies, we may see the same repression. Especially at universities, freedom of speech is very important. There is a relatively open atmosphere at the UvA, but intolerance of some words is now very high. We should try to reduce that somewhat.”
“It is part of the propaganda war to pontificate statements. Everyone is sensitive to every word that is said. It is almost impossible to take a nuanced and humane position. We at Gate48, we as UvA employees are calling for de-escalation at this time. Angry statements and harsh judgments are not what we need right now. We need to focus on the message to end the violence and criticize Europe's complicity by one-sidedly highlighting the conflict. The focus should be on returning the hostages and civilians by Hamas and stopping Israel's war of revenge in Gaza. We fight here in Holland over words, who said what with what meaning: that doesn't help.”
“Of course, at some point, we urgently need to talk about the war, about decolonization, about the rights of Palestinians and their untenable situation. I am deliberately not saying that we should look for a solution, because that is nonsense and too far away at the moment. We are asking the Israeli government: what are you going to do? Bomb Gaza to hell, and then? What do you think the days after will bring? We are asking Europe not to ignore this danger, also for its own sake.”
