Israel hacks Arab TV station

Israel hacks Arab TV station

www.theregister.co.uk

Israeli military forces have reportedly hacked into a Hamas-run TV station to broadcast propaganda.

The hijack of the Al-Aqsa television station last weekend represents the latest phase in a war in cyberspace that has accompanied the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Al-Aqsa is known for featuring allegedly antisemitic childrens' cartoons as part of its broadcast schedule last year.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I haven't much to say about the Israeli invasion of Palestine; indeed, I recently stated that the situation had to be resolved once and for all no matter who finished it or whether it resolved through peaceful means or violent means. I support neither but feel greatly for all the civilians caught in the middle.

No, my reason for posting this is to bring this to everybody's attention and ask a few questions:

1, Is this allowed by international law?

2, How can others now deny that Israel hasn't used propaganda to persuade others to support its war against Palestine?

3, Why didn't Israel use this type of propaganda to try to force the Palestinians to oust Hamas and therefore remove the need for invasion (or, at least, allow for a lower intensity invasion)?

My gut feeling is that Israel just wanted the land. If my feeling's right then other states might be next. Kinda reminds me of Poland a few years ago.

To be fair to Israel hacking has been done to Israeli internet sites but I think hacking a TV or radio station (essential acceptable news sources for most people) is different. It's more of a violation.

www.theregister.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 6/1/09 by Rapacity]

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[edit on 6/1/2009 by Mirthful Me]

This makes sense. It's a war and taking the news outlet makes perfect sense. So what? And as far as the OP having a problem with Isreal using 'propaganda' ... HAMAS is big exporter of it as well. Fake videos and lies, and all.

This is not propaganda, it is to terrorise the enemy. I saw the clip on tv and it had some gruesome images of freshly assasinated people. Then the words 'Time is running out' in Arabic appeared throbing to a heart beat sound track and the background grinding sound of metal.

Propaganda intends to impart distorted or contrary information. The video clip was psyops to degrade the populations and Hamas.

reply to post by FlyersFan


Sorry, I edited my post to balance it as you type your reply.

To answer you though, I think when it comes to taking over conventionally accepted news and current events media people have to be careful of what is acceptable for an invader/enemy to do during times of war.

America does it all the time - it was one of the primary weapons used in the first and second gulf war, russia also does this (Ukrain, Chechnia andGeorgia).

When you hear your leaders say "hearts and minds" just replace this with audio and video.

It is vitally important to win the media war.

Not only did the US "hack" tv, they also created multiple competing Arab stations, blew up arab tv stations in iraq but even deliberately targeted the foreign media which refused to be embedded and instead opted to remain independent, several journalists were injured and one killed when the palestine hotel was bombed by the us (journalists were the only ones there, and it was a clear and deliberate act).

All the tv was knocked out in the first wave of bombing in serbia as well.

it is not a crime.

Originally posted by Rapacity
people have to be careful of what is acceptable for an invader/enemy to do during times of war.

But that's the point. It's war. It's expected that the one winning will take over the media outlets. The one winning isn't going to let the others continue pumping out their viewpoint. That's the way it always runs in a war. If at all possible - take over the communications and media outlets. It's expected. It would be a MISTAKE for the Israelis not to do it.

Originally posted by masonwatcher
This is not propaganda, it is to terrorise the enemy. I saw the clip on tv and it had some gruesome images of freshly assasinated people. Then the words 'Time is running out' in Arabic appeared throbing to a heart beat sound track and the background grinding sound of metal.

Propaganda intends to impart distorted or contrary information. The video clip was psyops to degrade the populations and Hamas.

By striking fear into citizens it causes some of them to run and hide so to speak, in effect making their job faster easier and less casualties in the end by the invading force so yes it's pure psychological warfare played to benefit the invading country.

And it normally works.

reply to post by Darthorious



Very true, but the Palestinians have been subjected to all kinds of psyops involving loudspeakers issuing weird noises, surprise detainments at checkpoints, disappeared people, leaflet propaganda, sonic booms all night for months on end, sniper shootings,...ect.

To them this video clip must be like being gummed to death in the face of the bombardment for the past 10 days and all of the above.

reply to post by FlyersFan


I know it's war. I know the idea of war is to win or not lose (unless you gain by losing). I used to think that anything goes during war but I haven't thought that for a few years. My objection to what Israel has done is that it isn't using the media to re-educate the population it's using it (as Masonwatcher said) to terrorise. To me, it just lowers Israel's standing because it has resorted to terrorism. Will it do the same in future wars now that it's broken the barrier?

This has been standard procedure during times of war throughout history, just the technology changes.

Capturing messengers, cutting telegraph lines, dropping leaflets from the air (with and without accompanying care packages) telling civilians to turn against their oppressors, etc.

In the south Pacific during WW2, Tokyo Rose broadcast to the US troops that their cause was lost, their wives had run off with their neighbors, and that they were about to die.

During the cold war with the former Soviet Union there was an entity known as Radio Free Europe, primarily operated by the CIA, that broadcast "news" to eastern European countries behind the iron curtain.

reply to post by Rapacity


OP you look goofy when you state you are not for either side and then go off on Israel and make outlandish claims of taking is neighbors states, first off Egypt and Jordan have peace deals which all sides have kept. Next Lebanon wouldn't be invaded b Israel because Syria already has invaded it. And I won't even go into Gaza strip and who owns that land...

You can not tell people you don't support either side then spread propaganda against one side and then as I said start presenting ridiculous ideas and statements against one and then not say one word about the other sde. You make it seem as if Israel is the first Nation to employ Propaganda and you also imply that Hamas doesn't use it...

I am calling the OP out as surely on one side of this conflict and I think anyone reading his post will agree with me...

reply to post by theindependentjournal


Everyone knows that Hamas uses propaganda. I've no need to state that. The quote in my opening post states that the Al-Aqsa television station broadcast anti-semitic cartoons last year.

Truly, I support neither side. The sooner the situation is solved the better for the rest of the world. The reason I wont support either side is that the situation is too complex and its causes too numerous for me to grasp and suggest any solution other than 1, fight it out, or 2, ignore the emotions that keep the past present and let go of the prejudices that keep neighbours distant.

As for propaganda, just because it's used by all nations, it doesn't make it morally acceptable in all its forms.

haha, thats kind of awesome. However, I fear for anyone who ever tries to take over my station, there would a be a few broken noses to say the least.

Now, this might sound cold, and i am NO WAY belittling ANYONE on ANY SIDE, but how dangerous is it really if people still feel comfortable enough to be sitting around watching TV in the first place? Maybe their homes are the only safe place left? NONE of us know whats really going on, and maybe even people living on the strip dont know all that goes on. its all a big media battle. thats fine, let the media do the fighting, maybe that would mean less actual fighting, though i doubt it.

Hamas brainwash kids with cartoon characters to be terrorist



Consider children only have access to this kind of TV show.
Actually i don't blame them if they hate in such young age. Blame the parents

reply to post by flymetothemoon


Nothing wrong with the Palestinians giving form to the source of their hardships to their children. Children ask questions as to why Israelis drop bombs on them and a gentle cartoon is the best way to go.

In contrast, Israel trains it children to kill Palestinians, gives them a made up mythology as motive, have them autograph the bombs that will fall on Arab children and accentuates the atheist zionist ethos in a draft that takes Israeli youth to dominate in the Occupied Territories.

reply to post by Rapacity


wai- 'Al-Aqsa television station broadcast anti-semitic cartoons last year' no, no they didn't - did the cartoon say something like 'dirty jews are like rats'? no, that would be racist against Jewish people, what it said was 'we will return home to the lands THEY have named Tel-Aviv, the lands of our parents graves, etc, etc...' this is not racist at all, if it IS racist then so are all the zionists who say the same thing.

What is anti-semitic? maybe what they mean when they use this phrase 'anti semitic' what they really mean is 'anti semitic supremacy' in that if you don't support the 'chosen people' in their quest to reclaim the 'promised land' you are against them, that is to say you are no longer a good gentile obeying their noahide laws but a hateful heathen going against god.

reply to post by masonwatcher

Thanks for you're point. Always a pleassure to read you're posts. And now comes the BUT. They also made children TV shows about Bush and Danes. If they already are sure that some people are only worth hating, how can you ever get a chance to show them you only want good, if they already don't want to have anything to do with you. You will never get the chance to prove them wrong, if that's the case.

The real terrorist in the middle east is Israel

How much TV can they be watching in Gaza?

I thought they didn't have any electricity.

I'm sure it is "few and far between" the people in Gaza who have generators or the gas to use them.

[edit on 1/6/2009 by Keyhole]