Winning the Middle East propaganda war

Interesting article here fromthe BBC on how Israel's release of a video alleged to show rockets being loaded onto a lorry, which were destroyed by a missile, were challenged by Ahmed Sanur, a resident of Samur, Gaza, who claims the rockets were oxygen cylinders from his workshop.

Meanwhile Hamas has accused Israel of interrupting its radio and television broadcasts in Gaza, according to Medianetwork, while Press TV, an English language international news channel funded by the Iranian government, reported earlier this week that Palestinian activists jammed Israel Army Radio signals in southern areas of Palestine.

New media and the Gaza conflict:

Wired also reports on the creating of a Youtube channel by the Israeli miliary, as well as the Israeli consulate in New York hosting a press conference on Twitter.

Guido Fawkes is showing support for the Israeli Defence Force by linking to a site organising delivery of Kosher pizzas and Pepsi to troops,while Harry's Place continues to argue the pro-Israeli cause.

Hamas (short for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya) appear to be losing the new media war. O'Connall Street reports that: "Youtube has over 800 clips posted mainly by Palestinian supporters but only a few uploaded from inside Gaza."

However, Indymedia, the activist website, has a number of pro-Palestinian posts on the conflict, including coverage of demonstrations at the Israeli embassy in London, Sheffield, Liverpool, and Brighton in the UK, as well as Nablus in the northern West Bank. There are video links, pictures and many comments.

There is also a first hand account by the journalist Ewa Jasiewicz,project co-ordinator for the Free Gaza Movement.

You can also see photos from the Nablus demonstration on the "It's me fuming rights init!" blog.

The Stop The War Coalition website, by contrast, fails to make any use of new media on its rather drab site.

Many Facebook groups have been set up supporting the Palestinians and Israel.

Judging from a photo taken by a Harry's Place poster, Peter Tatchell has joined Oxfam as highlighting the actions of both sides.