.
Hasbara: Why does the world fail to understand us?
(+972) – Hasbara represents only one side of propaganda, as it is mostly aimed at foreign audience. The use of the Hebrew term Hasbara in a critical context, rather than “propaganda” or “public diplomacy” (the title of the Wikipedia entry on the issue), is necessary, because Hasbara efforts are wider and their goals much more ambitious than any similar activities taken by all democracies and most non-democracies. Hasbara targets political elites, opinion makers and the public simultaneously; it includes traditional advocacy efforts as well as more general appeals made through mass media, and it is carried out by government agencies, non-governmental organizations, lobbying groups, private citizens, students, journalists and bloggers.
The Israeli government encourages all citizens to actively engage in Hasbara. Recently, it even distributed brochures with talking points to all Israelis traveling abroad (a Hebrew web version of the campaign can be viewed here). Israelis are asked to engage in politically-oriented conversations with their hosts and contacts abroad. Rather than discuss the Palestinian conflict, they are advised to cite Israeli technological achievements, mention environmental policies and take pride in notable cultural works. The West Bank is to be discussed – under its ancient Hebrew name, Judea and Samaria – as a potential tourist marvel.
Until a few years ago, the main government agency carrying out Hasbara work was the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Media and Hasbara department. Under Ehud Olmert’s government, and more so under Netanyahu’s, there was a considerable increase in Hasbara efforts. Prime Minister Netanyahu has launched for the first time a Hasbara Ministry, headed by a government minister (the current hasbara minister is Yuli Edelstein). The Hasbara Ministry includes a situation room, which operates in five languages; it has a new-media team that can reach, according to the office’s web page, 100,000 volunteers on social media networks, as well as many bloggers.
.
Here @BooMan and over at ET the habarist crew can be seen occasionally. The right-wing comments at Jerusalem Post drives one crazy, so I never or seldom post a comment there. Most top posters are more right-wing than Ms Clinton, Romney and McCain. The American citizens writing columns are just horrible, filled with incitement and hatred towards the Obama administration and the Palestinian people.
Over at Tikun Olam the habarist crew are present 24/7. I admire Richard Silverstein for his patience with several warnings and in the end give them a banning notice. Just a few days ago, I too lost patience with a blogger called Miki. He/she lost his/her composure and most likely left at his/her own choosing. Some days there are a string of 3 or 4 persons posting comments to discredit RS.
.
@R2D2: “I think that we – the natives who live in Israel [1] – should express our gratitude to Richard Silverstein for showing us what true democracy really was. In RS democracy it’s own security apparatus – NSA, FBI, CIA and other services – read all emails [2] sent to a person, launch drown [drone] attacks on own citizens [3], spy on allies [4] such as Europe, Israel and others. And you want to teach us Democracy ? laughable at best.”
Sorry I’m a bit late to the hasbarist landings and further attemp to discredit RS. The origin of all hasbara bs, must be of a poor accreditation as of late. Truly laughable the revisionist of contemporary history on the common morals and values of the US and Israel. [1] The “natives” just landed from Los Angeles, Paris, Amsterdam and settled (be sure to read link “some people”) in the housing of Shaarei Tikva. [2] Israeli tech companies drive most of the intrusive software of spying by the intelligence services. The new Utah NSA spy center is build jointly with Israeli tech companies (source: Wired). [3] Need the community a reminder which nation is leading in drone technology and export. Israel has the trademark of targeted killing from the sky, does not matter if the tool is a F-16, Apache helicopter or drone. Sharon established the moral playing field duplicated by George Bush and later continued under Obama, not the other way around. Same for Sharon’s support for the US decision to invade Iraq, joint special forces training in the Negev desert learning the Jenin tactics so well executed in Fallujah. The interrogation technique, rendition, torture are all shared values of US with Israel and it’s distressing hasbarists want to smear the US with its very own human rights abuses. Do we need a constant reminder? Abu Ghraib imprisonment and treatment of prisoners were clearly taken from the Israeli handbook of sexual abuse and humiliation in treating Palestinians. [4] A mix of all of the above.
Cross-posted from Tikun Olam – Israel Violates Egyptian Sovereignty, Kills Four Alledged Sinai Militants.
.
The apartheid state of Israel fears the BDS movementt as more hasbara students are recruited, now from the Prime Minister’s office. Netanyahu is already running Foreign Affairs due to long absence of Liberman.