By Mel Frykberg
"RAMALLAH, Sep 5, 2010 (IPS) - Palestinians and Israelis are using the media as a new battleground in their war to win hearts and minds across the globe, even as the protracted conflict in the Mideast drags on with no apparent end in sight.
Israel has led the way for decades with its slick and professional Hasbara, or propaganda machine. This has operated mainly from campuses, Israeli consuls and embassies worldwide where they have first-class access to the world's media.
In the last few years, though, international opinion has turned increasingly critical of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians, both in the occupied territories and within Israel proper.
Behind the legions of apparent Israeli supporters who make their presence strongly felt in the letters pages of newspapers, on talkback radio, and on Internet sites, is a lot of money and several carefully orchestrated campaigns. Journalists critical of Israel have often been on the receiving end of these manoeuvres.....
The foreign ministry's undercover team of graduates and demobilised soldiers, fluent in several languages and adept Internet users, were paid to surf the Internet 24 hours a day neutralising critical news and spreading positive views on Israel.
Ilan Shturman, deputy director of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with the Israeli business newspaper Calcalist last year that his team would be working undercover.
"During Operation Cast Lead we appealed to Jewish communities abroad and, with their help, recruited a few thousand volunteers who were joined by volunteers in Israeli," Shturman said.
"We gave them background and Hasbara materials, sending them to represent the Israeli point of view on news websites and in Internet polls."
These activists worked in close cooperation with the Give Israel Your United Support service, which offered supporters a program called Megaphone. About 50,000 activists downloaded the software which sends an alert to their computers when an article critical of Israel is published. They then respond by bombarding the site with pro-Israel comments.....
It is doubtful whether Israel will be able to completely silence its critics, given how easy it is to access the Internet and the speed and freedom with which it operates when compared to established media groups.
The Israeli authorities also have to deal with a revolt from within as growing numbers of left-leaning Israelis begin attacking their own government.
Apart from the regular attendance of Israelis at West Bank demonstrations against the occupation and land expropriation, academics, authors and writers are now joining the boycott fray.
Last week, 60 Israeli theatre professionals announced they would refuse to perform at a new cultural centre built in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. On Monday, over 150 Israeli academics and several dozen authors and artists signed letters offering their support to the boycotters."
"RAMALLAH, Sep 5, 2010 (IPS) - Palestinians and Israelis are using the media as a new battleground in their war to win hearts and minds across the globe, even as the protracted conflict in the Mideast drags on with no apparent end in sight.
Israel has led the way for decades with its slick and professional Hasbara, or propaganda machine. This has operated mainly from campuses, Israeli consuls and embassies worldwide where they have first-class access to the world's media.
In the last few years, though, international opinion has turned increasingly critical of Israel and its treatment of Palestinians, both in the occupied territories and within Israel proper.
Behind the legions of apparent Israeli supporters who make their presence strongly felt in the letters pages of newspapers, on talkback radio, and on Internet sites, is a lot of money and several carefully orchestrated campaigns. Journalists critical of Israel have often been on the receiving end of these manoeuvres.....
The foreign ministry's undercover team of graduates and demobilised soldiers, fluent in several languages and adept Internet users, were paid to surf the Internet 24 hours a day neutralising critical news and spreading positive views on Israel.
Ilan Shturman, deputy director of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said in an interview with the Israeli business newspaper Calcalist last year that his team would be working undercover.
"During Operation Cast Lead we appealed to Jewish communities abroad and, with their help, recruited a few thousand volunteers who were joined by volunteers in Israeli," Shturman said.
"We gave them background and Hasbara materials, sending them to represent the Israeli point of view on news websites and in Internet polls."
These activists worked in close cooperation with the Give Israel Your United Support service, which offered supporters a program called Megaphone. About 50,000 activists downloaded the software which sends an alert to their computers when an article critical of Israel is published. They then respond by bombarding the site with pro-Israel comments.....
It is doubtful whether Israel will be able to completely silence its critics, given how easy it is to access the Internet and the speed and freedom with which it operates when compared to established media groups.
The Israeli authorities also have to deal with a revolt from within as growing numbers of left-leaning Israelis begin attacking their own government.
Apart from the regular attendance of Israelis at West Bank demonstrations against the occupation and land expropriation, academics, authors and writers are now joining the boycott fray.
Last week, 60 Israeli theatre professionals announced they would refuse to perform at a new cultural centre built in the West Bank settlement of Ariel. On Monday, over 150 Israeli academics and several dozen authors and artists signed letters offering their support to the boycotters."
No comments:
Post a Comment