From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Fri Jan 02 2009 - 02:49:30 EST
Special spin body gets media on message, says Israel
* Rachel Shabi in Tel Aviv
* The Guardian, Friday 2 January 2009
Israel believes its has won broad international support in the media for
its actions in Gaza thanks to its PR strategy, which through a new body has
for months been concerned with formulating plans and role-playing to ensure
that government officials deliver a clear, unified message to the world's
press.
The body, known as the National Information Directorate, was set up eight
months ago following recommendations from an Israeli inquiry into the 2006
Lebanon war. Its role is to deal with hasbara - meaning, in Hebrew,
"explanation", and referring variously to information, spin, and
propaganda.
The directorate's chief, Yarden Vatikai, said: "The hasbara apparatus
needed a body that would co-ordinate its agencies, coordinate the messages
and become a platform for co-operation between all the agencies that deal
with communication relations and public diplomacy."
The directorate acts across ministries and decides key messages on a daily
basis. Of its core messages for the media, there has been the advice that
Hamas broke the ceasefire agreements with Israel; that Israel's objective
is the defence of its population; and that Hamas is a terror organisation
targeting Israeli civilians. "In general, we think we are succeeding in
getting the message across," said Vatikai.
Israeli officials have also enjoyed a clear edge with coverage. An Israeli
foreign ministry assessment of eight hours of coverage across international
broadcast media reported that Israeli representatives got 58 minutes of
airtime while the Palestinians got only 19 minutes. Speaking for the
Israeli military, Major Avital Leibovich said: "Quite a few outlets are
very favourable to Israel, namely by showing [it] suffering ... I am sure
it is a result of the new co-ordination."
Speaking to the Jerusalem Post, the former Israeli ambassador to the UN
Danny Gillerman said: "I don't know how long it will last but at this
moment Israel has no small measure of understanding and support, and even
approval, from many countries."
One of the challenges of Israel's media offensive has been to counter the
disturbing images of Gaza in the conflict. "In the war of the pictures we
lose, so you need to correct, explain or balance it in other ways," said
Aviv Shir-On, foreign ministry deputy director-general for public affairs.
"Support doesn't mean the world is standing behind us, but it does mean
people understand what we are doing and why."
The hasbara directive also liaises over core messages with bodies such as
friendship leagues, Jewish communities, bloggers and backers using online
networks. Last week the directorate started a YouTube channel showing
Israeli bombings in the Gaza strip. "New media is a new war zone within the
media - we are planning to be relevant there," said Leibovich.
* guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2009