How Hamas has successfully appealed to Western intellectuals

  • Hamas has been successful in appealing to Western intellectuals for the past 30 years
  • Support for Hamas on college campuses and in city streets is a result of a long-term influence campaign
  • Hamas members strategized on how to sabotage the Oslo Peace Accords and generate support for their cause
  • They aimed to frame the conflict in religious terms for Muslims and use more-palatable frames for non-Muslim Americans
  • Hamas created mainstream organizations to conduct their dual-track work

Support for Hamas on college campuses and in city streets has shocked Americans, but it is the result of a well-executed influence campaign that has been ongoing for the past 30 years. In 1993, senior Hamas members gathered in a Philadelphia hotel room to strategize on how to sabotage the Oslo Peace Accords and generate support for their cause. They recognized the need to frame the conflict in religious terms for Muslims, while using more-palatable frames for non-Muslim Americans. As part of their strategy, Hamas created mainstream organizations to conduct their dual-track work.

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Factuality Level: 8
Justification: The article provides specific details about a wiretapped meeting of Hamas members and their strategy to generate support for Hamas among American Muslims and the wider society. However, it does not provide any sources or evidence to support these claims, making it difficult to verify the accuracy of the information.

Noise Level: 7
Justification: The article provides some historical context and information about an influence campaign by Hamas, but it lacks evidence, data, or examples to support its claims. It also does not provide any actionable insights or solutions. The article stays on topic but does not provide a thoughtful analysis or explore the consequences of the influence campaign on those who bear the risks. Overall, the article contains some relevant information but lacks scientific rigor and intellectual honesty.

Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No

Presence of Extreme Event: No
Nature of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating of the Extreme Event: No
Justification: The article does not pertain to financial topics and does not describe any extreme events.

Reported publicly: www.wsj.com