Students of the Faculty of Mass Communications and Fine Arts at Maaref University organized an online seminar entitled “Psychological Warfare, Mind Control” on Thursday, January 7, 2021. The event was part of the Journalism and Public Relations seminars courses and hosted Al-Akhbar Newspaper’s deputy chief editor Pierre Abi Saab and Writer Hadi Kobeissi.

During the first discussion, Kobeissi tackled the psychological warfare (PSYWAR) and its ramifications, indicating that it has the same purposes of military warfare. “Both want people to be submissive and aim at targeting their minds, emotions and nerves,” he said.
Kobeissi pointed out that trauma in psychological warfare is the most powerful aspect used to manipulate and exhaust people’s emotions, assuring that “Disinformation” was one of the basic tools in the PSYWAR.

For his part, Abi Saab addressed the psychological war waged against Al-Akhbar newspaper after it published documents regarding Arab normalization with Israel. “The newspaper’s mission in facing psychological manipulation has been so influential that a lot of money has been paid to launch attacks against it,” Abi Saab said.

The journalist stressed that the first objective of the PSYWAR is to liquidate the Palestinian cause and dash away every memory related to it while encouraging people to join the other axis.
“How can you be neutral when you agree to convictions of an enemy having the characteristics of an executioner?” He wondered.

Abi Saab also addressed the students saying, “You are the most challenging generation for the most challenging era, so you have to set the stage for upcoming difficulties.”

The two guests wrapped up the seminar by advising students to maintain a high level of patience and consciousness, and to persuade people by addressing their minds since morals come at the battlefield forefront vis a vis the collapse of values. Therefore, all art works and TV programs should serve this cause.