Islamic State Editorial: 'Our Aqsa and Our Prisoners'

Translation and Analysis

Within the Arab world, there has been much focus in popular media recently on a new Israeli law that would apply the death penalty to Palestinian militants, with widespread rumours of an imminent execution of thousands of Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel. This populist anger has translated, for example, into pro-Palestinian demonstrations in parts of Syria focusing both on the Palestinian prisoners and the ongoing Israeli closure of al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Hamas’ spokesman Abu Obayda even offered an expression of thanks for the demonstrations in Syria. Contrary though to what has been suggested by some Syrian exiles, the demonstrations are not evidence of an Iranian hand or influence. Rather, they reflect mobilisation by some Palestinians in Syria and members of the Syrian Sunni Arab constituency for a cause that still has popular resonance among Sunnis in the country, even as Syria’s new leadership continues to signal that it does not want a confrontation with Israel.

For its part, the Islamic State has seized on the news and the popular attention given to it, engaging in a typical example of its ‘reframing’ technique. That is, the group will note something that grabs popular attention, then try to highlight the contrasting lack of attention to what it sees as similar if not worse suffering of those Muslims who are members and supporters of the Islamic State.