Israel’s Propaganda Fails in China

In the digital landscape of China, where online discourse often takes on poetic and metaphorical tones, a unique narrative has emerged around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Chinese netizens refer to Palestinian fighters as “dandelions,” symbolizing resilience and endurance. This linguistic framing reflects a broader sentiment on Chinese social media, where public opinion has leaned overwhelmingly in favor of Palestine. However, this stance has drawn the attention of the Israeli government, which has actively sought to influence Chinese perceptions since October 7.

Israeli Efforts to Sway Chinese Public Opinion

Following the events of October 7, the Israeli embassy in China launched a campaign to pressure the Chinese government into condemning the attack. When the Chinese government refused to take a stance aligning with Israel, the embassy turned its attention to the public, using China’s dominant social media platform, Weibo, to push its narrative. Unlike most foreign embassies in China, which typically restrict their online activity to diplomatic pleasantries, the Israeli embassy broke with protocol by publicly criticizing China’s neutral stance and spreading messaging designed to shift public perception.

One of the most notable examples of this campaign involved a hostage held in Gaza, Noah Agmanani. The Israeli embassy falsely claimed that Agmanani was a Chinese national, despite her being an Israeli citizen of mixed heritage. This claim was intended to elicit Chinese government intervention on her behalf. Initially, some Chinese netizens were misled by this misinformation, prompting calls for government action. However, when Agmanani’s mother publicly insisted that China had a responsibility to help Israel, Chinese public support quickly waned. The revelation that the hostage was not a Chinese citizen, coupled with the aggressive tone of her family, led to a backlash against Israel’s narrative manipulation.

🔗 The Role of Weibo in Political Discussions

Misinformation and Propaganda Efforts

Beyond individual cases, the Israeli embassy has engaged in broader efforts to shape Chinese perceptions of the war in Gaza. As part of a familiar global strategy, it has sought to build alliances with scholars, intellectuals, and media figures to amplify pro-Israel narratives. One striking example involved a Chinese academic who falsely claimed that no one had died in Israel’s bombing of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, dismissing reports from the ground as “fake news.” However, this attempt to downplay the humanitarian crisis backfired when Chinese netizens, armed with their own sources of information, called out the falsehoods and flooded the embassy’s Weibo page with criticism.

To counter this wave of online dissent, the Israeli embassy resorted to closing its comment sections—a move that contradicted Israel’s self-proclaimed status as the “only democracy in the Middle East.” Other Western embassies, particularly the German and American embassies, were also drawn into this digital battle. In an unusual move, the German embassy in Beijing published a statement labeling those who compared Israeli policies to Nazi Germany as either “ignorant idiots” or “malicious bastards.” Such undiplomatic language only fueled further backlash.

🔗 China’s Foreign Policy on the Israel-Palestine Conflict

China’s Online Landscape: An Unyielding Pro-Palestinian Stance

Despite Israel’s sustained efforts, the battle for public opinion on Chinese social media has yielded little success. Platforms like Weibo remain overwhelmingly pro-Palestine, with users expressing strong opposition to Israeli policies. Any attempts by the Israeli embassy or its allies to counter this sentiment have been met with resistance, forcing them to either endure criticism or shut down discussions entirely.

The case of Israel’s digital diplomacy in China highlights the limitations of propaganda in tightly controlled online spaces where public sentiment is deeply ingrained. While Israel may have successfully shaped narratives in some Western media landscapes, its efforts to manipulate Chinese opinion have largely fallen flat. The “dandelions” continue to symbolize resilience, both in Palestine and in the minds of Chinese netizens who refuse to be swayed by foreign pressure.

🔗 How Chinese Activists Use Symbolism to Bypass Censorship

Conclusion: Israel’s Propaganda Has No Power in China

Israel has mastered the art of shaping narratives in the West, but its propaganda efforts fail in China for several key reasons:
✅ The Chinese public views Palestine through an anti-colonial lens.
✅ China’s state-controlled media does not allow foreign influence.
✅ Geopolitical interests align China more closely with Palestine than Israel.
✅ A deep mistrust of Western narratives makes Chinese citizens skeptical of pro-Israel messaging.

As China continues to rise as a global power, its influence over international discourse will grow. This means that Israel’s ability to control the global narrative may weaken over time, especially as more countries begin to challenge Western media dominance.