Approximately a fortnight subsequent to the occurrences of the “Al-Aqsa Deluge”, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (IS) initiated a propaganda campaign against both international and regional entities. This stance emerged belatedly in comparison to Al-Qaeda and its affiliated factions, concurrently capitalizing on the Palestinian factions’ assault on the settlements encircling the Gaza Strip. Amidst ideological discord with certain factions due to their growing alignment with Iran, the organization emphasized the bombardment activities on the Gaza Strip, exploiting this as a catalyst to provoke violence. The organization instigated the targeting of Jewish communities and their interests globally, particularly in the United States and Europe, in addition to inciting terrorist activities in Arab nations.
The Islamic State (IS) has joined a host of terrorist factions seeking to capitalize on the tumultuous events of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the subsequent escalation of hostilities following the assault on settlements bordering the Gaza Strip. This strategy was underscored in the editorial of the weekly publication “Al-Naba”, an outlet affiliated with the organization. In its 413th issue, dated October 19, the editorial prominently featured exhortations to initiate a series of violent acts.
Concerns are mounting regarding the potential manipulation of the precarious situation in Gaza by terrorist factions. The escalating tension, coupled with the potential for the conflict to broaden and encompass regional entities, could catalyze a surge in the cycle of violence. This volatile environment may provide a fertile ground for terrorist organizations associated with the “jihadist agenda” to capitalize on the chaos and recruit new members.
Main Elements Behind the Calls for Violence
The contentions can be discerned in the response of IS to the occurrences of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the subsequent exhortations for violence, as delineated in an editorial within the organization’s Al-Naba’ publication, which are as follows:
1- The protracted response to the “Al-Aqsa Flood” crisis: A notable characteristic of IS’s engagement with the “Al-Aqsa Flood” crisis is the extended delay in publicizing a stance concerning these events, particularly given the lapse of approximately two weeks since the onset of the crisis, and the perpetuation of escalating tensions and violence. In the initial week, the organization refrained from articulating a definitive position or commenting on the comprehensive developments of the situation.
However, in the 412th issue of the “Al-Naba” newspaper, dated October 12 and published a few days after the “Al-Aqsa Flood” events, the organization limited itself to an editorial titled “Supporting the Muslims.” This piece did not overtly address the intensifying conflict between the Palestinian factions and Israel, after the assault on the settlements, which was then followed by the bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
The organization tried to link its editorial in Issue No. (412) with the latest one that came in Issue No. (413) entitled: “Practical steps to fight the Jews,” through a reference within the text to “supporting Muslims,” which is the title of the previous editorial.
IS’s delay in dealing with the events of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” can be explained in not knowing how to react to them.
2- The engagement of “IS” vis-à-vis “Al-Qaeda” appears to be relatively restrained, particularly in relation to the events of the “Al-Aqsa Flood.” In comparison, “Al-Qaeda,” along with its affiliated branches and groups, demonstrated a higher degree of involvement, as evidenced by four primary statements that expressed solidarity with Palestinian factions and advocated for violent action.
In certain circumstances, IS may opt to maintain an ambiguous stance, or at least postpone articulating a definitive position. However, Al-Qaeda’s proactive engagement with the Al-Aqsa Flood and its swift response to unfolding events may have incited IS to assert its presence within the jihadi landscape, thereby underscoring the ongoing rivalry and contention between the two entities.
Despite the potential for IS to have announced its stance or engaged with the events in the inaugural issue of the Al-Naba newspaper following the reciprocal escalation on the Palestinian front, it refrained from doing so.
3- Notably absent in the latest editorial of the Al-Naba’ newspaper is any reference to the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation. The publication instead prioritized coverage of the escalating tensions and bombardment activities in the Gaza Strip, conspicuously omitting any mention of the organization’s alliance with Palestinian factions. This omission extends to both potential participation in assaults on Israeli settlements bordering the Gaza Strip and potential resistance to a prospective Israeli ground operation.
This is discernible in the context of the intellectual and ideological discord among the Palestinian factions, particularly concerning the approach towards Iran within the framework of the so-called “axis of resistance.” The newspaper’s editorial, in this regard, was replete with references to “embracing the struggle under the banner of the Iranian axis that opposes and combats the divine approach!” The editorial further underscored the imperative of “purifying the banner that advocates for the implementation of Sharia law.”
This highlights the reason behind the organization’s lack of commendation for the factions’ assault executed in the settlements surrounding the Gaza Strip, capitalizing on it, and citing the Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip as a pretext to manipulate the events to incite violence.
4- Attacking US and Europe for their support of Israel: IS intensified its attempt to exploit the events of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” to its advantage, by indicating the necessity of not limiting the targeting of “the Jews” – according to its description – in Palestine only, but rather the necessity of targeting those who support Israel, describing them as The “wall and rope” upon which the Jews rely.
The organization enumerated the parties supporting Israel in the editorial of “Al-Naba’” by saying: “Limiting yourself to fighting the Jews of Palestine, no matter how much spite, is not sufficient to achieve the elimination of the Jews, because the Jewish statelet in its composition from the beginning relied and relied on a group of people. The Jews established their state by relying on it.” On Britain, then take refuge in US…”, according to the text of the editorial.
He pondered why the Western hemisphere, embodied by the US and Europe, endorse Israel, unmasking the influence of Jewish entities over the decision-making apparatus in US and European contexts.
5-Advancing assertions of Arab nations’ endorsement for Israel: The entity posited that Israel endeavored to dominate the administrations of the Arab nations, characterizing them as “renegades,” and contended that “the renegade administrations and militaries are likewise part of the cord of Jewish duplicity that suffocates the populace to deter them from jeopardizing the interests of the Jews.” “This elucidates why the Jews are fervently striving to standardize their associations with these renegade administrations.”
In this context, the entity aims to execute extensive agitation operations, not solely against global entities such as the United States and European nations, but also incitement against regional entities, with an emphasis on Arab nations. They label them as “renegades,” and attempt to exploit events to provoke the regional populace, predicated on assertions that these Arab administrations are the ones obstructing the populace from threatening Israel’s interests.
Calls for violence
Within the framework of incitement called for by IS in an editorial within the Al-Naba newspaper, it delineated a series of measures for numerous calls for violence, characterized by the following features:
1- In light of IS’s perception of US and European support for Israel, the organization has issued a global directive to target Jewish communities. This strategy is delineated as follows: “There is an urgent and immediate need for tactical efforts to target Jewish populations worldwide, with particular emphasis on Jewish communities in US and Europe. These communities are perceived as the economic linchpin of the Jewish diaspora and the epicenters of influence within Western policy-making circles. Therefore, it is imperative to target and assault Jewish and Crusader embassies globally.”
Furthermore, within the context of an infographic in issue 413 of the “Al-Naba” newspaper, the organization has incited actions against Jewish synagogues worldwide. This extends to Jewish nightclubs and their patrons, as well as Jewish economic interests globally.
2- Promotion of Aggression towards Arab Nations: The entity has categorized the encouragement of hostility within Arab territories, focusing on the military forces and governing bodies of these nations. These institutions have been labeled as “heretical,” and are referred to as “buffer states” along the frontiers of Israel and Palestine. The organization further advocates for assaults on their defensive structures. This is particularly relevant to the military forces of the Gulf nations, which accommodate US bases that bolster and safeguard the security of the Jewish state.
3- Incorporating Novel Strategies in Gaza: About the anticipated ground incursion by Israel into the Gaza Strip, the organization advocated for the incorporation of innovative strategies to counteract this ground operation, particularly the use of explosive belts. The statement emphasized, “The Muslim youth in Gaza should utilize the military equipment available to them, with a special emphasis on the explosive belts, which have been notably absent from the battlefield with the Jews.”
Using the Anger in the Arab World
Within the framework of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” incidents and the aerial bombardments on the Gaza Strip, the Islamic State (IS) endeavors to capitalize on the prevalent resentment within the Arab region towards Israel. This is achieved by inciting acts of terrorism within Arab nations, thereby instigating crises and security challenges in the forthcoming period. This is particularly pertinent given the ongoing exposure of cells associated with the organization, the most recent of which was the neutralization of a cell in Morocco after the “Al-Aqsa Flood” incidents.
The pervasive indignation resulting from the bombardments on Gaza may incite the organization to recruit new members and leverage the prevailing circumstances, irrespective of its success or failure in doing so. Generally, certain events and moments may create a conducive environment for some individuals to transition from ideological extremism to the enactment of violence, under specific pressures and contexts.
What is striking in the context of IS’s incitement operations is that, despite issuing calls for violence in Western and Arab countries alike, it has not directed its branches and elements to a specific campaign of violence against Western interests in the countries where they are active. For example, he did not call on his elements in Iraq and Syria to target the US presence, at least explicitly.