Latest news with #Hasbara
Roya News
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Roya News
Superman 2025: The film 'Israel', US do not want you to see
The Superman (2025) film, directed by James Gunn, is a visually stunning and politically charged reimagining of the Man of Steel that dares to weave a narrative strikingly parallel to the Israeli Occupation's ongoing genocide in Gaza. By setting Superman's latest battle in the fictional nations of Boravia and Jarhanpur, the film delivers an unmistakable critique of imperialism, propaganda, and the weaponization of public perception to justify war crimes, with Boravia standing in for the Israeli Occupation and Jarhanpur as Palestine. And for once, a Hollywood blockbuster has the guts to say it, even if through allegory. The story centers on Superman (David Corenswet) intervening to halt Boravia's invasion of Jarhanpur, a smaller, less militarily equipped nation populated by non-white inhabitants. Boravia, a US ally, is backed by billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) and General Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), who question Superman's motives and frame him as a dangerous alien threat. - The disinformation machine - Superman's intervention is not celebrated; it is vilified. Luthor orchestrates an elaborate smear campaign, deploying monkeys as online trolls to flood social media with disinformation portraying Superman as violent, dangerous, and untrustworthy. This is Hasbara by another name: 'Israel's' well-documented propaganda network, which tirelessly reframes Palestinian resistance as terrorism and paints anyone who supports Gaza as an extremist to justify military action and ethnic cleansing. Superman's defense of Jarhanpur is spun as aggression simply because it threatens US interests, exactly how pro-Palestine voices are silenced in the real world with accusations of anti-Semitism. Additionally, the film takes a jab at Western media during a scene where Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) interviews Superman, echoing American mainstream media by asking him accusatory questions and framing him as a villain for attacking a US ally. Superman explains he simply acted to protect Jarhanpur's defenseless civilians. This is Western media in a nutshell, where saying 'Palestinians deserve to live' can get you labeled anti-Semitic, and condemning genocide is treated as supporting terrorism. - Pinkwashing and orientalist tropes - The film also tackles pinkwashing and orientalism head-on. Boravian president Vasil Ghurkos (Zlatko Burić) accuses Superman of maintaining a 'harem' of Boravian women, a baseless claim steeped in orientalist tropes that paint non-white cultures as primitive and misogynistic. The choice of the word 'harem' is not accidental. It evokes Orientalist tropes used for centuries to paint Arabs as backward and hypersexual. This mirrors 'Israel's' narrative following October 7, 2023, when it falsely accused Hamas of rape and kidnapping, allegations that many critics say were used as pinkwashing to justify the mass killing of Palestinians under the guise of defending women's rights. - Is Lex Luthor a stand-in for Donald Trump? - Luthor's rhetoric, calling Superman an 'alien' with malevolent intent, doubles as a critique of xenophobic narratives used to justify wars and occupations, from US immigration policies to 'Israel's' dehumanization of Palestinians. Hoult's Luthor, with his brash, self-aggrandizing demeanor, is an unsubtle stand-in for Donald Trump, particularly in his envy-driven quest for greatness. Luthor's obsession with outshining historical figures like Galileo parallels Trump's documented jealousy of Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize and his own pursuit of global acclaim, even at the cost of chaos. Trump, on multiple occasions, belittled former US President Barack Obama's Nobel Prize win. 'When Barack Hussein Obama got nominated, he didn't know why he was nominated,' he said on one occasion. 'It was like right at the very beginning. He didn't do anything. He did nothing. And he got nominated." During another event, he stated, 'Can you believe it? [Obama] won the Nobel Peace Prize. They probably will never give it to me, even what I'm doing in Korea, and in Idlib Province and all of these places. They probably will never give it to me. You know why? Because they don't want to.' He has frequently argued that his own efforts were far more deserving. - American complicity - The film spares no punches in exposing America's role in the Gaza genocide. By the final act, it is revealed that the US has been funding Boravia, supplying weapons, and actively encouraging its territorial expansion into Jarhanpur. Boravia's military is built on US funding and weaponry, an unmistakable parallel to the billions Washington pours into 'Israel's' arsenal to attack Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Syria, and Iran. - Distraction through manufactured crises - Luthor's schemes also resonate deeply with 'Israel's' real-world tactics. In one sequence, he triggers a catastrophic black hole threat, forcing Superman to divert his attention, while Boravia quietly escalates its invasion of Jarhanpur. This strategy, creating global distractions to bury atrocities, mirrors 'Israel's' pattern of escalating attacks on Gaza during major world events like the Oscars, Met Gala, or when launching strikes in Lebanon, Syria, and Iran to push Gaza out of the news cycle - Superman reimagined - Superman has long stood as a symbol of American nationalism, a near-mythical figure embodying the ideals of truth, justice, and the so-called 'American way.' Traditionally, he has been portrayed as a defender of US interests, a superhero who reinforces the narrative of America as a global force for good. However, this new interpretation of Superman turns that legacy on its head, directly challenging the myth of American moral superiority. Instead of blindly serving US interests, he defies them, siding with the oppressed against a US-backed aggressor. Superman (2025) is not for those who want escapist fantasy. It is for anyone willing to face the truth: justice is not comfortable, and standing with the oppressed means making enemies among the powerful.
Roya News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
What is Hasbara? Understanding "Israel's" propaganda machine
Since launching its military campaign on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, the Israeli Occupation has deployed a powerful propaganda strategy to control the narrative surrounding the war. Central to this effort is "Hasbara," a Hebrew term meaning "explaining," which serves as the Israeli Occupation's tool for managing public perception and justifying its actions. - The origins and evolution of Hasbara- The concept of Hasbara was popularized in the early 20th century by Polish Zionist journalist Nahum Sokolow. Over time, it evolved into a sophisticated public diplomacy initiative designed to promote "Israel's" policies while downplaying or justifying its military actions. Today, Hasbara manifests through official government statements, viral social media campaigns, and coordinated messaging efforts in mainstream media. A key function of Hasbara is to frame the Israeli Occupation Forces' (IOF) military operations in a way that shifts blame for civilian casualties onto Hamas. This is achieved through repeated claims that Palestinian fighters use hospitals, schools, and residential areas as military sites, a tactic "Israel" describes as 'human shields.' While the Israeli Occupation has presented satellite imagery and alleged confessions from detainees to support these claims, independent verification of such evidence remains elusive. - Modernizing Hasbara - Over the past two decades, the Israeli Occupation has modernized Hasbara to align with the digital age. Following the 2006 Lebanon War and the 2008-2009 offensive on Gaza, the Israeli Occupation government intensified efforts to expand its influence online. By 2012, social media had become a major battleground, with the IOF launching digital campaigns to bolster the country's global image. During subsequent military operations, including the 2014 war on Gaza, Hasbara proponents aggressively promoted content portraying "Israel" as a victim of Palestinian aggression, despite its overwhelming military superiority. Today, the Israeli Occupation is attempting to rebrand Hasbara and label their efforts "public diplomacy." - Weaponizing public perception - One of the most striking aspects of Hasbara is its ability to shape global opinion by leveraging social justice narratives. "Israel" frequently portrays itself as the Middle East's only democracy, championing LGBTQ+ rights and environmental causes as part of its international image. Critics argue that this strategy, known as "pinkwashing" and "veganwashing," is designed to distract from accusations of human rights violations and occupation policies. Furthermore, Hasbara plays a significant role in countering international movements critical of "Israel", such as the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. "Israeli" officials have worked to equate criticism of "Israel's" policies with anti-Semitism, a tactic that has led to legislative efforts in Western countries to penalize BDS supporters. - "Israel's" investment in Hasbara - The funding allocated to Hasbara initiatives has reached extreme levels, with "Israel" committing to shaping its global narrative and countering criticism of its actions. Towards the end of 2024, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported the "Israeli" government significantly increased its financial support for these efforts, with reports indicating an allocation of an additional USD 150 million to the Foreign Ministry for Hasbara activities in the 2025 budget, which is a staggering 20-fold increase compared to previous years. The funds are primarily directed toward campaigns targeting American college campuses, social media platforms, and international media outlets, all aimed at promoting a favorable image of "Israel" and justifying its controversial policies and military operations. The effort is set to be carried out in coordination with Jewish organizations in the US and "Israel's" Diaspora Affairs Ministry. Hasbara's influence extends deeply into Western media, where the IOF's actions are often framed as acts of self-defense rather than aggression. News reports commonly describe confrontations in the occupied territories as "clashes" between "both sides," obscuring the asymmetry of power between the IOF and Palestinian resistance groups. This strategic framing allows "Israel" to maintain its global support while continuing military operations with limited accountability. As "Israel's" offensive on Gaza continues, Hasbara remains a cornerstone of its public relations strategy. By shaping how conflicts are perceived, "Israel" aims to sustain international backing and mitigate criticism of its actions.
