A new study by the Jewish People Policy Institute found persistent antisemitic and anti-Zionist messaging in the Palestinian Authority’s official newspaper, Al-Hayat al-Jadida, alongside mostly negative depictions of Hamas.
The study—based on AI analysis of more than 2,300 opinion columns published between January 2022 and August 2025—found that about 20% of pieces mentioning Jews contained clear antisemitic content. These included denials of Jewish peoplehood; conspiracy theories about Jewish control of world power; and comparisons of Israel to Nazism or colonial regimes.
The report noted little change in antisemitic content before and after Hamas’s terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
While Al-Hayat al-Jadida frequently described Hamas as illegitimate, the tone briefly softened following Oct. 7. During the first weeks of the war, 67% of articles took a neutral stance toward Hamas and 11% were mildly positive, often in calls for Palestinian unity. Negative coverage later rebounded, with nearly 80% of wartime pieces portraying Hamas in a strongly critical light.
Two-thirds of articles referencing Oct. 7 described the attack negatively, mainly as a disaster that brought severe consequences on Palestinians, while only about 7% took a positive view.
The paper also consistently opposes peace with Israel, with 62% of articles dismissing prospects of an agreement and labeling Israel a colonial entity.
JPPI researchers Yaakov Katz, Shlomi Breznick and Eli Kanai said that Al-Hayat al-Jadida reflects the P.A.’s official stance: rejecting Zionism, spreading antisemitic tropes and viewing Hamas as an extremist rival.
Yedidia Stern, president of JPPI, said the findings “reveal a discourse that denies Zionism, repudiates Hamas and illustrates how far Palestinian public opinion remains from reconciliation.”
