By Moeen Koa (MA public communications and public relations; University of Westminster- London)
Dissertation Background:
The dissertation submitted for the MA degree in public communications and public relations - University of Westminster.
This study explores the main Hamas channels of communication, and the PR tactics being used by the movement and their effectiveness. It also attempts to investigate whether: Hamas PR was the key factor which led them to win the election in 2006; Hamas uses PR companies to achieve its goals; Hamas PR shifted its focus after winning the general election in January 2006 from internal to external issues, and, whether Hamas has a conscious PR strategy or not.
The study made use of “self-report” qualitative methodologies. The main source of primary data was face-to-face interviews, telephone discussions, and in-depth online interviews, drawing from a “convenience sample” consisting of: Hamas leaders and speakers, spokespersons of Palestinian political parties, senior media figures, journalists, political analysts, researchers, writers and spin doctors. Some data has been collected from archives, newspapers, and published reports.
To help the author analyze the data collected through the interviews, he continued to follow the Hamas news in the mass media and their speeches, press releases, and activities for a long time, even before deciding to write about them. He also viewed their websites many times, and read many hardcopy documents from different sources to compare the data with real action happening on the ground. For example, he used the Hamas founding charter to discover if Hamas clung to all its principles, or did not adhere to some, in the use of PR tactics in many stages.
FINDINGS
In this dissertation, the author attempts to find answers to the four main hypotheses described in the introductory chapter, but he also found many more interesting findings along the way. These findings can be listed as follows:
1. Hamas uses all the available communication channels in order to achieve its goals, and these channels include all old media and new media techniques.
2. The most effective channel used by Hamas locally is the mosques, and the most effective internationally is the satellite TV channels.
3. Al Jazeera satellite TV channel and its website arranged very good PR for Hamas, through giving free space in the most of its news broadcasts to Hamas spokesmen to talk about situations and actions in Palestine. It also helped Hamas to create a good international image, particularly in the Arab world, through displaying them as innocents.
4. Religion and the religious speeches are the most effective tactic in Hamas PR at the domestic level, but it is not an efficient technique at the international level.
5. Hamas has a PR conscious strategy which serves its strategic goal.
6. Hamas PR was not the key factor that led them to win the last Palestinian Preliminary election and voting for Hamas was as much a backlash against the former government as it was a vote for Hamas. At the same time, however, Hamas’ PR was a major contribution to them winning the election.
7. Hamas does not use PR companies from outside the movement to achieve its goals, but uses its own media companies, and benefits from some consultants and media companies who are close to or friends of the movement.
8. Hamas relies on some groups, media companies, and individuals’ efforts in its external PR more than it depends on particular countries.
9. Hamas does not suffer any financial problems in funding its PR and media campaigns.
10. The focus of Hamas PR shifted since it won the general election in January 2006 from internal to external and from national to international, as a natural result of being in power and in order to break the blockade imposed by the USA and EU.
11. Hamas changed its rhetoric, despite its strict founding charter, in order to serve its PR in several stages, particularly after they won the Palestinian Parliamentary election in January 2006.
12. Finally, Hamas PR can be described as successful, purposeful, effective, and influential internally more than externally, but it also needs to be developed.
Hamas needs to do the following to develop its PR:
1. Recently the Hamas media has used terms that offend the listener and the reader such as "tyrant” and “vulnerable prostitute”, so Hamas should be more objective in its news, and keep away from words and phrases containing colloquial language and obscenities.
2. Hamas should apply a good scientific plan, which can then be implemented to professional and clear standards.
3. Hamas should reduce the number of its spokespersons, in order to avoid statements causing contradiction, and should not constantly replace them as this causes confusion for the public. At the same time, they should have more spokesmen speaking English and other languages fluently.
4. Hamas should unify its message, and adjust it to be less partisan. They are now in power and are no longer a movement but a government. Also, they should use appropriate language of goodwill with the public.
5. Broaden their message; they should not just aim at those inside the movement or at the Palestinian public. Also, they should improve their political speech to be realistic with both their internal and external audiences.
6. Hamas should stop blaming the Palestinians and saying they are not true believers in God.
7. Hamas should stop threatening violence.
8. Hamas should refrain from emotional or direct reactions.
9. Hamas must have a daily message that reaches all global locations and embassies, from the occupied territories to European countries, to explain the Palestinian issue and the policy of Hamas and its legitimate existence; therefore Hamas should consider public world opinion to be on their side.
10. Hamas must reassure the world that there is a difference between Hamas and the Taliban, that they do not aim to establish an Islamic Emirate and they actually believe in the democratic system. Therefore, they must apologize to the Palestinian people about what happened in Gaza and for their military coup d'état and restore things to normal.
11. Hamas should stop its meetings with Iranian leaders because they are unpopular with Sunni Muslims on one hand and the Western world on the other.
