In a private meeting with US influencers, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a startling declaration. It wasn’t about bombs or borders. Instead, he signalled that Israel’s next major battlefield isn’t on land, but on your screen.
“We have to fight with the weapons that apply to the battlefields in which we’re engaged. And the most important ones are social media. And the most important purchase that is going on right now is TikTok. TikTok. Number one.”- Benjamin Netanyahu
This statement reveals a crucial shift in modern conflict: the war for narrative control. Standing at the centre of this new battlefield is Larry Ellison, the billionaire founder of Oracle, a major donor to the IDF, and the man positioned to control TikTok’s US operations. Our investigation uncovers how Ellison’s tech empire connects to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s global think tank, and why Blair is suddenly a key figure in plans to govern post-war Gaza.
From private influencer briefings to billion-dollar deals and secret policy retreats, we will follow the money and influence shaping what you see online, and what you’re not supposed to.
The New Digital Battlefield: Censorship on Your TikTok Feed
For months, Pro-Palestine creators and their supporters have raised alarms about TikTok quietly suppressing their voices. These aren’t just feelings; the evidence points to a systematic crackdown. The platform has been accused of:
- Removing hashtags related to Palestine.
- Taking down videos documenting events in Gaza.
- Throttling accounts that post pro-Palestine content.
- Scrubbing comments, with users reporting that “Free Palestine” comments vanish in real-time.
In September, TikTok rolled out new community guidelines that specifically banned users from calling the IDF “terrorists,” with algorithms retroactively removing past posts. The executive in charge of this policy area is Erica Zidle, who leads the U.S. Hate Speech Policy team for the company. Before her career at TikTok, Zidle served as an instructor in the IDF.
This appointment raises serious questions about impartiality in content moderation.
At the same time, a wave of bizarre, pro-Israel influencer content has flooded the platform, repackaging Israeli talking points in absurd and often misleading ways. This coordinated effort highlights a clear strategy: if you control the story, you control the audience.
Follow the Money: The Larry Ellison TikTok Takeover
This is where Larry Ellison enters the picture. As the billionaire founder of Oracle and one of the world’s richest men, Ellison is also known as the single biggest private donor to the “Friends of the IDF.” His influence extends far beyond software; his son’s company, Skydance Media, recently merged with Paramount and CBS, giving the Ellison family a massive footprint in both data and entertainment.
The $14 Billion Deal to Control Your Data
During his presidency, Donald Trump greenlit a $14 billion deal for Oracle to acquire TikTok’s US business. Trump explicitly stated this was about security and control, naming a tight circle of pro-Israel billionaires he wanted at the table: Larry Ellison, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Dell. Both Ellison and Dell were named among the “most influential Jewish billionaires” by the Jerusalem Post.
This isn’t just a business transaction; it’s a political weapon. Under the deal, Oracle will audit TikTok’s algorithm. This gives Ellison’s company unprecedented power to decide what millions of users see, hear, and engage with, effectively controlling the flow of information on one of the world’s most influential platforms.
The Political Connection: From Silicon Valley to Tony Blair’s Think Tank
Ellison’s influence doesn’t stop at technology; he is also a major political financier. One of the biggest beneficiaries of his funding is the Tony Blair Institute (TBI), into which Ellison has funnelled at least £250,000.
TBI isn’t a typical think tank. With an annual turnover of £145 million and nearly 1,000 staff across 45 countries, its scale is immense. Investigative reports from Lighthouse Reports and openDemocracy revealed that TBI holds joint retreats with Oracle, pitching Ellison’s technology to developing countries under the guise of consultancy.
A former UK government adviser put it bluntly: “TBI’s role is to go to developing economies and sell them Larry Ellison’s gear. Oracle and TBI are inseparable.” While the institute claims its donations are ring-fenced, the financial pipeline has undeniably amplified Blair’s global reach, packaging and selling influence as “governance” and “charity.”
A Ghost From the Past: Tony Blair’s Proposed Role in Gaza
In the Middle East, Tony Blair is remembered for one thing: the 2003 invasion of Iraq, launched on the false premise of weapons of mass destruction. Many in the region and beyond still label him a war criminal. After leaving office, his tenure as a Middle East peace envoy was widely criticised for a pro-Israel bias and a failure to advance Palestinian statehood.
Yet, in 2024, his name is back in the headlines. Reports in The Economist and Israeli media suggest Blair is being lined up to run a “Gaza International Transitional Authority” (GITA). This five-year body would effectively govern post-war Gaza with UN cover, with Blair chairing a board of international officials and only one Palestinian figure.
Donald Trump endorsed the idea, calling Blair a “very good man.” This plan is not about reconstruction; it’s about control. With open discussions of “voluntary immigration” and the systematic destruction of homes, it resembles a resettlement plan cloaked in humanitarian language.
The man who helped destabilise Iraq is now being positioned to manage Gaza. This echoes a dark colonial history, with British officials once again shaping Palestine’s fate, a role that historically led to violence and dispossession.
What This Means For You: Navigating the Digital Fog of War
The connection is clear: Netanyahu identifies TikTok as a weapon, his ally Larry Ellison is set to control it, and Ellison’s beneficiary, Tony Blair, is poised to manage Gaza on the ground. This is a powerful network where billionaires, politicians, and tech moguls collaborate to control both physical territory and the digital stories told about it.
In this era, the war isn’t just fought with drones; it’s fought with narratives and algorithms. For the average person, this can feel overwhelming. Here are a few actionable steps to think more critically about the content you consume:
- Question the Source: Before sharing, ask who created the content and what their motives might be. Look beyond the influencer to who might be funding them.
- Diversify Your Feed: Actively seek out and follow journalists, creators, and organisations from different backgrounds, especially those on the ground in conflict zones.
- Understand the Algorithm: Recognise that your feed is curated. Platforms are not neutral windows to the world; they are shaped by corporate and political interests.
- Follow the Money: Be aware of the financial ties between tech companies, media outlets, and political actors. Understanding who profits can reveal the agenda.
The Battle for Your Attention
The fight for Gaza is also a fight for your screen. The alliance between Netanyahu’s political ambitions, the Larry Ellison TikTok deal, and Tony Blair’s proposed role in Gaza demonstrates a new playbook for 21st-century power. It’s a strategy where silencing voices online precedes and reinforces control on the ground.
If this network succeeds, the perspectives of ordinary Palestinians may be systematically erased from your feed before they ever have a chance to reach you. In this age of digital warfare, understanding that your attention is the most valuable territory is the first step toward reclaiming it.