Distortion by design: How social media platforms shaped our initial understanding of the Israel-Hamas conflict

MENASource Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.
Iran Israel
Distortion by design: How social media platforms shaped our initial understanding of the Israel-Hamas conflict

MENASource Jun 18, 2025

Dispatch from Jerusalem: Inside Israel’s bunkers as Iran war erupts

By Sarah Zaaimi

The stakes are higher as two opposing rhetorics about the region’s future are at play: Pan-Abrahamism and Revolutionary Islamism.
Civil Society Iran
Distortion by design: How social media platforms shaped our initial understanding of the Israel-Hamas conflict

Inflection Points Jun 14, 2025

Israel’s Iran strike provides a historic chance for Middle East realignment

By Frederick Kempe

History will remember this moment less for the Israeli strikes themselves and more for what follows.
Iran Israel

Israel-Hamas war

Experts from across the Atlantic Council are providing insight and analysis at speed and in depth on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s response, and how the emerging conflict is upending the Middle East and the world.

Programs

The N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Atlantic Council and the Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, seeks to broaden and deepen normalization between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries. It works with governments to produce actionable recommendations to deliver tangible benefits to their people.

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Content

The Big Story

Dec 21, 2023

Distortion by design: How social media platforms shaped our initial understanding of the Israel-Hamas conflict

By Emerson T. Brooking, Layla Mashkoor, Jacqueline Malaret

Almost as soon as the Israel-Hamas war began, it collided with the engineering and policy decisions of social media companies. On Telegram, terrorist content spread mostly uncontested; on X, false claims proliferated. Accusations of anti-Palestinian bias at Meta and pro-Palestinian bias at TikTok added to the confusion. Can the platforms thread this needle?

Conflict Disinformation

New Atlanticist

Dec 21, 2023

Opposition to Israel’s war for survival fails to understand Hamas’s goals

By Jonathan Panikoff

Calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, beyond humanitarian pauses, are implicitly advocating for a Hamas victory.

Conflict Israel

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2023

Israeli President Herzog: ‘An amalgamation of forces’ will likely govern post-conflict Gaza

By Nick Fouriezos

The Israeli president also confirmed that Israel would be willing to pause fighting in Gaza again in exchange for hostages.

Conflict Israel

Transcript

Dec 19, 2023

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the Israel-Hamas war and the future of the Middle East

By Atlantic Council

Herzog spoke at an Atlantic Council Front Page event about the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Conflict Israel

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2023

Inside a central bank at war

By Josh Lipsky

Get a look inside how central banks are springing into action like never before to protect their economies as their countries enter war.

Conflict Financial Regulation

In the News

Dec 19, 2023

Rich Outzen joins i24News to discuss US operation against Houthis
Conflict Israel

MENASource

Dec 18, 2023

2023: A year in the Middle East

By Rachel Friedman

2023 was a tumultuous and tragic year for the Middle East and North Africa. It also produced moments of hope and diplomatic feats.

Iran Iraq

MENASource

Dec 14, 2023

China is fixed on discrediting the US on Gaza War. But this policy lacks credibility and will likely fail.

By Ahmed Aboudouh

It should be clearly understood that, as long as Israel continues to kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza, China will use the eroding effect this has on the US’s credibility

China Crisis Management

In the News

Dec 13, 2023

Rich Outzen joins WION News to discuss Hezbollah
Conflict Israel

In the News

Dec 12, 2023

Rich Outzen joins Middle East Eye to discuss Hamas fighting capabilities
Conflict Israel
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Experts

Fellow

Amir Hayek

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic English

Fellow

Carmiel Arbit

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Civil Society Extremism

Fellow

Alia Brahimi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Civil Society

Fellow

Danny Citrinowicz  

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Cybersecurity

Fellow

Ariel Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Central Asia Politics & Diplomacy

Fellow

Ariel Ezrahi

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Energy & Environment
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