Palestinian digital campaigns and their role in shaping 21st century diplomacy

Abstract

The researcher aimed in this study to explore the role of digital campaigns in shaping diplomacy in the twenty-first century, especially with the rapid growth of technology. The study focused on this role by analyzing Ambassador Dr. Husam Zomlot’s official Facebook page and its influence on the British public — both online and on the ground — as well as how it helped create public pressure on the official British position regarding the Palestinian issue . To achieve this, the researcher used the descriptive method and the network approach within a qualitative interpretive framework. Zomlot’s Facebook page was taken as a case study, where 45 posts were randomly selected and classified based on their goals and types, covering the period from 2023 - 2025. The results showed that official institutions have not paid enough attention to using digital diplomacy to support the Palestinian cause and promote the Palestinian narrative of justice. However, digital campaigns played an important role in strengthening this narrative and mobilizing European public support through popular digital diplomacy. The analysis of Zomlot’s page showed that he succeeded, in his personal capacity, in influencing public digital diplomacy, and in his official role, in increasing public pressure that affected the British government’s position toward Palestine. His digital messages combined legal, humanitarian, and historical aspects in a way that effectively appealed to Western audiences. In conclusion, the study recommended establishing a specialized department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to handle digital diplomacy and use it to advance the Palestinian cause. It also advised making better use of local and international digital platforms to spread purposeful content that supports the Palestinian narrative, and ensuring careful selection of diplomats, especially those representing Palestine abroad.