Public diplomacy of Israel
In recent times, Israel has shifted toward calling its efforts "public diplomacy", indicating a strategic move away from a defensive posture to a more proactive and comprehensive approach.Key Israeli government bodies involved in public diplomacy include the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and pro-Israeli civil society organizations.The history of Israeli public diplomacy dates to the early 20th century, with notable efforts during the pre-statehood period, the establishment of the state, and significant developments in response to changing geopolitical challenges.Methods employed range from traditional media outreach to digital campaigns, with a focus on shaping foreign public opinion, particularly in the United States, and coordinating with diaspora Zionist organizations to promote a favorable narrative of Israel."Propaganda" is now typically used for official government statements or by critics of pro-Israeli advocacy groups to portray the communication as misleading and manipulative.[7] Today,[clarification needed] Israeli practitioners tend to label their communicative efforts "public diplomacy", not hasbara, indicating a shift in strategy.They consider a focus on "explaining" too defensive and prefer to actively determine the agenda by being less reactive and more proactive, moving to a more comprehensive, long-term strategic approach.In 2024, the French journalist Alain Gresh gave the following example of hasbara in Le Monde diplomatique, citing an IDF spokesman:As rockets traced white lines across the night sky on New Year's Eve last year Colonel Olivier Rafowicz gave vent to his outrage on the news: "For those wondering why Israel has to eliminate Hamas, here's your answer.[12]Various branches of the Israeli government as well as pro-Israeli civil society organizations engage in public diplomacy efforts: Early mentions of the term hasbara in English mainstream print media[24][original research] date from the late 1970s and describe it as "overseas image-building".The trip led to the Hasbara Project, an internship program established to train foreign-service officers in communications by placing them with American companies.[29] Shmuel Katz's book Battleground: Fact and Fantasy in Palestine, published in 1973, was described as "an encyclopedic source-book for those involved in Israel's hasbara (public relations) effort" by Moshe Phillips, a national director of Herut North America's U.S.[35] Also in 2001, the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry,[36] the diplomatic arm of the Government of Israel, was a co-sponsor of the Hasbara Fellowships activities of Aish HaTorah.[52][53][54] In July 2009, it was announced that the Israeli Foreign Ministry would assemble an "internet warfare" squad to spread pro-Israel messages on various websites, with funding of ₪600,000 (about $150,000).As Haaretz put it, "The network's activists—'delegitimizers' the report dubs them—are relatively marginal: young people, anarchists, migrants and radical political activists."[56] Neil Lazarus said in 2012 that what he calls "low budget, grassroots Hasbara 2.0" has come of age, and commends websites that keep track of what supporters see as anti-Israel media bias, and that promote email campaigns on Israel's behalf.It then highlighted some alleged similarities in the groups' influences identified by Harel Chorev of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University.[66] During the first week of Israeli bombing of Gaza, Netanyahu included this assertion in a public addresses in the United States made alongside Secretary Antony Blinken.[75][76] Talal Abu Zarifa, a leader from the DFLP (a secular faction allied with Hamas), said Israel was using the comparison to "justify its annihilation of Palestinian people and bloodshed".[86] An article once on the World Union of Jewish Students website described methods it attributed to Palestinian activists, and offered advice on how to respond.– discuss] Edward Said wrote in 2001 that hasbara methods used during the Second Intifada included lunches and free trips for influential journalists; seminars for Jewish university students; invitations to congressmen; pamphlets and donation of money for election campaigns; telling photographers and writers what to photograph or write about; lecture and concert tours by prominent Israelis; frequent references to the Holocaust; advertisements in the newspapers attacking Arabs and praising Israel.Towards that end, the ICIC enlists Israelis from all walks of life to participate in its various projects ... One of our major activities is the production of special Powerpoint presentations which we post on our website.– discuss] Israeli officials have emphasized the importance of molding American public opinion to influence U.S. foreign policy favourably toward Israel.
IsraelpropagandaZionistsTheodor HerzlNahum SokolowIDF Spokesperson's UnitdiasporaZionistHamaaspejorativeHebrewRon Schleiferdelegitimisation of Israelcultural diplomacyAlain GreshLe Monde diplomatiqueIsraeli Defense Forces (IDF)Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT)StandWithUsAmerican Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)Washington Institute for Near East PolicyAnti-Defamation LeagueChristians United for IsraelIsrael on Campus CoalitionAMCHA InitiativeThe David ProjectThe Washington PostNewsweekCarl SpielvogelShmuel KatzHerut North America'sMenachem BeginThe Jerusalem PostMalcolm HoenleinAbe FoxmanSecond IntifadaOctober 2000 eventsMV SantoriniMV Karine ADefensive ShieldBethlehemNablusDetermined PathWadi an-NasaraRainbowDays of PenitenceSuicide attacksRocket attacksIsraeli Foreign Affairs MinistryHasbara FellowshipsAish HaTorahWikipediansUse of child suicide bombers by Palestinian militant groupsPalestinian propagandaIsraeli military usedBBC NewsAriel SharonSaeb Erekatorganized public communications by PalestiniansHaaretzIsrael–Hamas warJewish diasporaJewish Agency for IsraelGaza–Israel conflictChildren in the Israeli–Palestinian conflictPalestinian rocket attacksIsraeli airstrikes on the Gaza StripBlockade of the Gaza StripIsraeli war crimesHamas war crimes1956 Rafah massacreKhan Yunis massacreFirst IntifadaGaza cross-border raidSummer RainsAutumn Clouds2006 shelling of Beit HanounGaza–Egypt border breachHot Winter2008–2009 Gaza WarMarch 2010 clashes2010 Palestinian militancy campaignSouthern Israel cross-border attacksMarch 2012 clashes2012 Gaza War2014 Gaza WarShuja'iyyaBeach bombing incidentsDeif family killings2018–2019 border protestsNovember 2018 clashesMay 2019 clashesNovember 2019 clashes2021 Israel–Palestine crisis2022 clashesMay 2023 clashesGaza war7 October attacksIsraeli invasion of the Gaza StripGaza genocideFatah–Hamas conflict2006 Palestinian legislative electionHistory of HamasBattle of Gaza (2007)2009 Hamas political violence in Gaza2019 Gaza economic protestsCancelled Palestinian elections (2006-2021) Fatah–Hamas reconciliation processFatah–Hamas Doha AgreementThird Hamdallah GovernmentAlliance of nationalist factionsPalestinian nationalismCapital punishment in the Gaza StripGaza blockade2008-2009 Gaza Warmedia policyReut InstituteNeil LazarusMASA programsKiryat al-MalakhaTel AvivIsraeli public diplomacy in the Israel–Hamas warBenjamin NetanyahuJames Foleybeheading videoUnited Nations