Speaking at the Israel Hayom Summit in New York on Tuesday, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a stark warning regarding the information war surrounding the Middle East, asserting that while the hostage crisis may have reached a resolution, the battle for the historical narrative is being lost on social media.
Addressing the audience, Clinton reflected on the current state of affairs following the return of hostages held by Hamas. While acknowledging the relief of their return, she urged the Jewish community and Israeli leadership to remain clear-eyed about the "real increase in antisemitism" that has surged over the past two years.
Video: Hillary Clinton at the Israel Hayom Summit
"The narrative was turned upside down"
Drawing on her recent experience teaching at Columbia University, Clinton described a disturbing disconnect among the younger generation. She noted that "smart people" were deriving their worldview entirely from TikTok, which she argued was flooded with propaganda immediately following the October 7 attacks.
"There was an organized effort on October 8 to provide misinformation," Clinton said. "The students didn't know history, had very little context; it was pure propaganda." She described this as a deliberate attempt to turn the events of October 7 "upside down" before the dust had even settled.
"Israel has the worst PR"
In one of her most blunt assessments, Clinton recounted advice she had given Israeli officials during her time as a senator. "I told them Israel had the worst PR," she said. "The story is not getting told as effectively as it should."
She stressed that this failure to communicate is affecting not just the broader American public, but specifically young Jewish Americans. When asked if Israel is "losing" the United States and the Democratic Party, Clinton argued that the divide is not partisan, but demographic.
"It's not Republican versus Democrat. This is generational," she said. She referenced a sentiment shared by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding protesters chanting "from the river to the sea" without knowing which river or which sea they were referencing.
Clinton urged the audience not to write off critics, but to engage in deeper education regarding history and security threats. "I don't think we should write anyone off until we have had a chance to have a dialogue," she added.
Broadening the scope, Clinton framed the consumption of information as a danger to democratic stability. With more than 50% of young Americans – spanning all political and religious backgrounds – getting their news from social media, she warned of the prevalence of "made-up videos."
"It cuts across Democrats, Republicans, Jewish young Americans, and non-Jewish young Americans," Clinton observed. "It is a threat to democracy and our way of life. It's a bigger issue; it's about how we know what we should know about important issues."
The Mamdani phenomenon
The discussion also touched on local New York politics, specifically the rise of Zohran Mamdani. Clinton described the 2025 mayoral contender as a "brilliant social media candidate" who managed to draw support from across the city's ethnic and religious lines.
When asked if she was worried about the rise of similar candidates, Clinton characterized his success as a specific "New York phenomenon" rooted in economic populism rather than foreign policy alone.
"It was effective because it talked about things young people talk about – affordable rent, the issues concerning them," she noted. "What was conveyed was free bus rides....for the first time if you were a New Yorker you felt someone was talking to you."
Clinton concluded by advising observers to "study the campaign," noting that regardless of the governing outcome, the campaign's methodology was "extremely effective" in the current digital landscape.
