Hamas has spent millions of dollars upgrading its television stations and Internet sites. The Israeli government-aligned Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center released a report dated February 23 that said Hamas’s media upgrade reflects the increasing role of the media in its strategy.

The report explains that “[a]lthough the Hamas government is bankrupt, the movement has invested massive sums in improving its propaganda assets, aware of their importance in the battle for hearts and minds against Israel and against its opponents in the internal Palestinian arena.”

Hamas leaders are well aware of how to use the media to manipulate global opinion against Israel. Hamas has already been proven to stage events and concoct stories to gain pr advantage. Last June, for example, it fabricated a story accusing Israel of killing innocent Palestinian civilians. Headlines around the world picked up on Hamas’s version of the story, yet further investigation ruled out Israeli involvement in the attack and instead pointed to evidence of Hamas responsibility.

The terrorist group Hezbollah also employs the same media strategy to its advantage; during Israel’s war in Lebanon last summer, Hezbollah’s tactics had a notable effect in swinging international opinion against Israel. Hamas appears set to take a page out of Hezbollah’s play book.

Sadly, such tactics only succeed because of the eagerness of much of the West’s anti-Israel mainstream press to publicize any injustice done to Palestinians, even if it is manufactured, and because of the credulity of a misinformed public. For more information on the how terrorist groups are exploiting the media, read “Manipulating the Media.”