Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., March 30, 2009 Nisan 5, 5769 | | Israel Time: 16:29 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 02:21 08/01/2009
Israel's PR war
By Gideon Lichfield
Tags: israel news, hamas, israel 

It had to happen at some point. The army attacks a civilian building identified as a source of fire; dozens of civilians are killed, and what little sympathy Israel enjoyed in whatever war it's currently fighting evaporates. It happened in Qana during the Second Lebanon War, and yesterday a school in the Jabalya refugee camp became a global symbol of indiscriminate Israeli aggression.

When these things happen, Israel is quick to respond on the public-relations front. It didn't take long before we foreign correspondents started getting text messages from the Israel Defense Forces on our cell phones. One said that the school was targeted because it was "a source of mortar fire." Another informed us that video footage was available of rockets being fired from another UNRWA school several months earlier. A third told us the names of the Hamas operatives who were killed along with the children and mothers cowering nearby.

I frequently get asked by Israelis, "why aren't we winning the PR war? Why don't people understand that this is what we have to do?" Many are convinced that there is something wrong with Israeli hasbara (public advocacy), that the spokespeople aren't effective enough, or that the Palestinians have a huge and demonically efficient propaganda machine.
Advertisement
When I hear this I have to explain that Israeli hasbara is so sophisticated that there is still no adequate word for it in English; that some of Israel's spokespeople could talk the hind legs off a donkey and then persuade the donkey to dance the hora, and that the Palestinians barely even know what a spokesman is, let alone be able to provide one who is available when he needs to be and knows anything about what is actually going on. So why isn't Israel winning the PR war?

Partly, of course, it's because the numbers are against it. Six hundred Palestinians dead versus nine Israelis, as of today's figures: There's just no way to make that proportion look pretty. Retired generals can drone on all they like about what "proportionality" really means in the laws of war, ambassadors can helpfully point out that many more Germans were killed than British in the Second World War, but these are theoretical notions; on television, what looks bad looks bad. (Nor do I really buy the argument that if Israel's casualties were more visibly bloody - if, say, the media showed the gory pictures of the few people who have been hit by Qassams instead of holding them back to keep the home front from getting agitated - then you could counter the stream of barbaric images from Gaza. There's just no competition.)

But the deeper reason is this: Israeli hasbara is perpetually trying to answer the wrong question: "Why is this justified?" Of course, it's natural for either side in a conflict to try to explain why it, and not the other side, has the moral high ground. But, especially in a conflict where both sides have been claiming the moral high ground for decades, nobody in the outside world is all that interested. From a foreign correspondent's point of view, it makes for boring journalism: "The Israelis said this, but the Palestinians said that." And since we're all studiously trying to be "neutral," we'll always balance your view against theirs; so the fact that you make more of an effort to explain than they do doesn't really matter.

The question the foreign media really wants answered is invariably not "who's in the right?" but "how will this round of fighting improve the overall situation?" And on that point, Israel never has a convincing argument. Given the country's long history of engaging in wars that kill many more of its enemies than its own citizens but only buy a few months or years of calm, it's a tough call to explain how this latest escapade will change the strategic balance, bring peace and prevent the need for another such bloodbath further down the line. Often that's because there is in fact no good reason: Wars are fought for short-term gains. And it doesn't help that with the constant competition for power within Israeli coalitions, it's easy to interpret this war, like many others, as a political imperative, not a strategic one.

And so when the question the world is asking is not "who's right?" but "what works?" the consistent impression Israel leaves is that it kills people because, at best, it simply doesn't have any better ideas, and at worst, because some Israeli leader is trying to get the upper hand on one of his or her rivals. And no amount of hasbara can make that look good.

Gideon Lichfield, until recently The Economist's Jerusalem correspondent, will be moving to the weekly's New York bureau.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
A 'political' holocaust
Palestinian youth orchestra disbanded after playing concert for Holocaust survivors.
Mideast peace fantasy
How can talks with Palestinians and Syria progress as if there were no Arab initiative?
  1.   War Is Hell 03:38  |  massaraksh 08/01/09
  2.   You miss the popint 04:41  |  Mark Gilbert 08/01/09
  3.   Brilliant insight 10:52  |  Meir 08/01/09
  4.   Brilliant article. Everyone in Israel should read it. 10:53  |  Michael 08/01/09
  5.   War crimes are war crimes 11:47  |  Frank 08/01/09
  6.   On the marker! 13:50  |  pfcwintergreen 08/01/09
  7.   My hat off, Gideon Lichfield 14:52  |  zmogus 08/01/09
  8.   Foreign press 14:54  |  Serge 08/01/09
  9.   Because AP`s Correspondent is Gazan 14:55  |  Yalea Katz 08/01/09
  10.   No Strategic Understanding 14:56  |  amanda 08/01/09
  11.   Israel`s PR war 15:02  |  Johan Enstrom 08/01/09
  12.   Israel failed when it made the first illegal settlement 15:16  |  Jens 08/01/09
  13.   Good work 15:20  |  Jan Pospisil 08/01/09
  14.   Why Israel can`t win the PR war (example) 15:24  |  Independent Observer 08/01/09
  15.   Good question 15:34  |  Lars Hansen 08/01/09
  16.   Is Gillerman the new Foreign Minister? Where is Livni? 15:34  |  Galili 08/01/09
  17.   How do we explain Lichfield? 15:42  |  DJStahl 08/01/09
  18.   Mark Gilbert 15:47  |  sharon 08/01/09
  19.   Military Might At All Costs 15:51  |  Yaakov Sullivan 08/01/09
  20.   #12 - Illegal Settlements 16:01  |  Russ 08/01/09
  21.   Brilliant article 16:25  |  Anna 08/01/09
  22.   Israel`s PR war 16:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/09
  23.   Settlements 16:47  |  Elianah 08/01/09
  24.   Another Question 17:06  |  concerned British 08/01/09
  25.   Sympathy for the underdog 17:06  |  matt 08/01/09
  26.   No PR can change Jew haters 17:07  |  Rory 08/01/09
  27.   to Elianah #23 17:30  |  zeev 08/01/09
  28.   Rory on finishing the job on the ground 17:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 08/01/09
  29.   Marketing 17:36  |  Bill 08/01/09
  30.   24 Answer to Concerned Britain. 17:39  |  Michael 08/01/09
  31.   Rory 26 - Finish the Job 17:39  |  Russ 08/01/09
  32.   Define "proportionate" 17:56  |  fiona 08/01/09
  33.   Elianah 17:58  |  sh 08/01/09
  34.   # 23 The illegal settlements are illegal and must be removed 17:58  |  Jens 08/01/09
  35.   To win PR war Israel must quit settlements 18:05  |  Johnson 08/01/09
  36.   Elianah, 23, needs to consider the difference 18:12  |  Ivar 08/01/09
  37.   Buying more time 18:15  |  Nancy 08/01/09
  38.   Israel`s PR War 18:26  |  Neil Murphy 08/01/09
  39.   Excellent article - but will they listen? 18:33  |  Manny Goldstein 08/01/09
  40.   Simply wrong Israel is fighting to change the situation long term 18:37  |  Shalom Freedman 08/01/09
  41.   to concerned British #24 18:39  |  zeev 08/01/09
  42.   Iron dome isnt ready yet 18:57  |  David 08/01/09
  43.   Gideon misses the point 19:06  |  rafiq 08/01/09
  44.   reason why Israel 19:26  |  cool 08/01/09
  45.   #34 Jens. Immigrants WELCOMED into our Countries Call For MURDER 19:27  |  Linda Rivera 08/01/09
  46.   Yalea - a simple means of correction 19:31  |  Sylvie 08/01/09
  47.   AMAZING!! - This Article Doesn`t Mention The Foreign Press Bar 19:37  |  chet 08/01/09
  48.   Pst Linda 19:50  |  Marilyn 08/01/09
  49.   #2 Gilbert ABSOLUTLEY correct 19:50  |  Noach 08/01/09
  50.   Israels PR WAR 19:53  |  Farrel 08/01/09
  51.   Winning is all the Hasbara that is needed 19:55  |  Nathaniel 08/01/09
  52.   Sometimes when you think of giving up, like 19:55  |  Kris Lazar 08/01/09
  53.   Israel`s war 19:55  |  mario lago 08/01/09
  54.   Great Article 19:59  |  A Kamal 08/01/09
  55.   People`s minds are already made up 20:02  |  Francis 08/01/09
  56.   IDF PR. Its not complicated 20:03  |  Peaceman 08/01/09
  57.   Linda Rivera 20:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 08/01/09
  58.   Human Shield Technique Works 20:10  |  john Friedman 08/01/09
  59.   Denmark and German Occupation 20:16  |  Just wondering Jens 08/01/09
  60.   Hasbara at work in Jersualem Post. 20:57  |  Michael 08/01/09
  61.   The Questions NOT being asked 21:40  |  Kovacic 08/01/09
  62.   Try to explain 21:43  |  Heidi 08/01/09
  63.   The problem with israel`s PR war 21:48  |  dana 08/01/09
  64.   Just Wondering Jens on Denmark #59 22:22  |  Yaakov Sullivan 08/01/09
  65.   what a stupid question... 22:27  |  wildman 08/01/09
  66.   Rory 26 22:51  |  Bet 08/01/09
  67.   Not Relevant. PR Like "Rubber Necking" 22:54  |  Peter 08/01/09
  68.   Jens # 34 - are you really Danish? 22:55  |  Barry 08/01/09
  69.   hasbara or not 23:03  |  Truth 08/01/09
  70.   the answer is WHAT SELLS 23:44  |  Natalie 08/01/09
  71.   thanks 23:49  |  rafaela 08/01/09
  72.   Forget About the PR.... 23:52  |  Raphael David 08/01/09
  73.   ridiculous spokespeople dont help 23:52  |  avi 08/01/09
  74.   chet.AMAZING!! Why haven`t the press gone through Egypt? 00:14  |  PETER SM 09/01/09
  75.   Israel`s double jeopardy. If it wins it loses 03:06  |  fb 09/01/09
  76.   #64 Thank you for your concern 03:17  |  Jens 09/01/09
  77.   reply to #36 #38 05:24  |  Moss 09/01/09
  78.   Iraeli`s PR War 05:38  |  Maureen 09/01/09
  79.   TO RORY #26 05:43  |  Steve Beikirch 09/01/09
  80.   same reason Goliath didn`t 05:43  |  newageblues 09/01/09
  81.   It`s perfectly clear 06:01  |  David R. Zukerman 09/01/09
  82.   The PR deck is always stacked against Israel 06:25  |  US Citizen 09/01/09
  83.   Israel the losser 09:34  |  Khalid 09/01/09
  84.   People don`t care 09:54  |  Hana 09/01/09
  85.   Its the occupation, stupid. You`ve stacked the deck and 10:12  |  Dan 09/01/09
  86.   Perpetual War 10:32  |  Joe 09/01/09
  87.   Losing the PR war 10:52  |  Welshman 09/01/09
  88.   Israel`s 60 year strategy 21:15  |  A voice from Greece 09/01/09
  89.   Trying to catch DJStahl`s thought-pattern 21:18  |  zmogus 09/01/09
  90.   survival 21:20  |  maya 09/01/09
  91.   survival 01:44  |  Michael 10/01/09
  92.   I totally agree with #88 A voice from Greece. Correct opinion! 06:40  |  Vittorio 10/01/09
  93.   Very good point 19:19  |  Jecheskel 10/01/09
  94.   Hasbara vs TV Images 20:05  |  Mazel 10/01/09
  95.   Qana was faked 08:59  |  The Observer 11/01/09
  96.   Very simple answer 10:03  |  Danny 14/01/09
  97.   Public Relations Office is missing in Israel 16:13  |  Jeff 30/03/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Israel goes to the polls
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
16:11 Netanyahu's cabinet: so big it needs a new table
15:50 Arab League chief: Israel's policies border on 'madness'
15:42 Assad: Israel is not a 'real partner' for peace
13:33 Report: U.S. warned Sudan before attack on Gaza convoy
12:19 The Mideast conflict in 27 words or less
08:34 ANALYSIS / How absurd can Netanyahu's government get?
16:12 Livni: Kadima won't hesitate to criticize Netanyahu government
23:11 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
09:40 40 Arabs laid off as Israel Rail saves posts for army veterans
13:21 AG: No legal reason to bar Lieberman from serving as FM
14:09 MK Tibi meets with regional leaders at Arab summit in Qatar
14:31 Israeli businessman detained in Kazakhstan on fraud charges
09:04 Latest trend in scents: 3,400-year-old Pharaoh's perfume
05:42 ANALYSIS / Neither Hamas nor Israel can surrender now
14:51 At least 20 killed in attack on Pakistan police academy
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved