The Battle for Public Opinion in Europe: Changing Perceptions of the Palestine-Israel Conflict

Mainstream media in European countries commonly espouse Israeli government propaganda when reporting on the Israe l-Palestine conflict often reflecting the attitudes of their respective governments, and betraying an imbalance of support for Israeli interests over those of Palestinians. This in turn conveys a rather unbalanced and obscured version of events and issues to the European media consumer. Nevertheless, recent events like the Gaza War (2008/9) have enabled increasing numbers of Europeans to see through the smoke screen.

In 2011 the Middle East Monitor (MEMO) in collaboration with Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (AJCS) and the European Muslim Research Centre (EMRC) at Exeter University commissioned a pioneering study to gauge European public perceptions on the conflict. The study, carried out by one of Europe’s most reputable polling and research institutions, surveyed over 7,000 adults from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. This collection of essays is the compelling and timely analyses of that study.

With contributions from a range of international experts and specialists in their field, including Ilan Pappe, Tim Llewellyn, Maria Holt and Daud Abdullah, ‘The Battle for Public Opinion in Europe’ brings credible and unique insights to bear on how and why public opinion in Europe should be, and is, changing regarding the conflict. Chapters cover such topics as the broadcasters’ false portrayal of the conflict; the rise of the Israel lobby in Europe; questions of the inclusion and exclusion of Hamas; extremist nationalism in Europe and support for Israel; and changing perceptions relating to the conflict.

The book further addresses the consequences that these changes in public perception might be expected to have on European policy-making. It is hoped that the book will persuade policy and decision makers, as well as the media, to take more serious notice of the evolving views among the populations they serve. It is also hoped that it will force then to examine more closely how they might further a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and thereby diminish the ugly and destabilising phenomena of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim attitudes in Europe.