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Akiva Eldar / How to apply PR spin to the settlement issue
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: Israel Project, Mideast Peace 

America's best Jewish minds are wracking their brains, trying to find a magic formula that will put the settlements close to the hearts of Israel's supporters, not to mention its critics. A new guide to the perplexed, disseminated by the leadership of the Israel Project, the organization spearheading Israel's public relations efforts in the United States, offers a glimpse into its very own internal confusion.

The informative document recommends discontinuing the usage of three traditional arguments, frequently used by Israeli and Jewish advocates in conversations with journalists and public opinion shapers: It cautions against religious arguments based on quotes from the Bible, which even put off a Jewish audience; it warns that the argument that the land of the settlements "belongs" (the quotation marks were used in the original) to Israel is unconvincing because, officially, Israel itself defines the territories as "disputed" (and not occupied); and explains that the argument that the Arabs use the settlements to their own advantage fails to justify Israel's policy.

The Israel Project's leadership recognizes that public opinion, even among Israel supporters, is ambiguous about the settlements. Despairing Israel advocates still embrace the delusional security argument, from which even retired general Moshe Ya'alon has distanced himself: They argue that the settlements are necessary for Israel's security and suggest telling audiences that the settlements were not created randomly. They were put on mountaintops and in militarily sensitive areas to create a security buffer between Israel and its Arab neighbors (Jordan?). If that does not do the job, remind the audience that the settlements constitute an effective early warning system (does this include their well-baby clinics?). And if that is still not enough, point to the Qassams as convincing proof of what happens when Israel evacuates settlements (kindergarten children in Gush Katif protected their friends in Sderot, or was it the soldiers who protected them?).
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But the joker is undoubtedly the term "ethnic cleansing." A weak defense calls for an offensive. The guide for Israel warmly recommends that advocates complain bitterly about the idea that a given area will be cleared of Jews (did someone say Judenrein?). Why can Israel accommodate and even grant equal rights to its Arab minority (the Or Report is just a rumor?), whereas the Palestinian territories must be cleansed of Jews? Unfortunately, the guide does not suggest a response to anyone who heard and/or read the opinions of Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayad, or of Ahmed Qureia, the head of the negotiating team, who invited the residents of Ariel and Ma'aleh Adumim to remain in their homes and live in peace and equality as a Jewish minority in Palestine. Qureia even said he broached this subject with former U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

Too bad none of the prime minister's many advisers directed his attention to this generous Palestinian offer. Had he been aware, he might have refrained from making cheap usage of the ethnic cleansing argument in a conversation he had last week with Germany's foreign minister, Frank Walter Steinmeier.

Many American Jews will not heed the Israel Project's many suggestions. The leadership of the Reform community in the U.S. and Canada, which encompasses more than one million Jews, decided last month to adopt U.S. President Barack Obama's call for an end to construction in the settlements and for an immediate dismantling of the outposts. An official announcement released by the Reform community's leadership voiced concern over Israel's failure to meet its obligations in this regard. They are even demanding that the government take firm action against fringe settler groups that resort to violence against Palestinians.

The roads less traveled

Apropos natural growth, it will be interesting to see how Benjamin Netanyahu will explain to Obama section five of the plan for road improvement, part of the Transportation Ministry's new budget book: "Upgrading Highway 1 between Mishor Adumim and the Good Samaritan Inn and between the Zeitim Interchange and the Coca Cola Interchange [at the foot of French Hill in East Jerusalem], at a cost of NIS 280 million."

Let's leave aside for now the question of why the government is investing over a quarter of a million shekels in relatively lightly traveled roads that do not extend beyond seven kilometers when, at present, there is no time to expand the most accident-prone roads, like the Beit Shemesh highway, where six more people lost their lives over the weekend. How, then, can Israel explain its decision to establish new facts on the ground in the heart of the territories whose future it actually agreed to discuss?

Who will believe that Israel came to the negotiation table with clean hands at a time when it is putting its paws on yet another chunk of land? Some will surely claim that it's all linked to safety reasons and that we sometimes even allow the Palestinians to use these roads. In a previous instance, the Migron-Adam deal, it turned out that business is proceeding as usual in the settlements - and not just while there were ongoing negotiations for an arrangement with the Palestinians, but at the very height of talks with the United States over natural growth. Washington was furious. Maariv's report of erstwhile American consent to completing the construction of 2,500 apartments in the settlements only added fuel to the fire.

A retired hero

European diplomats are wondering what happened to Javier Solana, the European Union's foreign policy chief. Throughout his many long years in this post, the Spanish statesman always carefully maintained a low profile with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Here a relaxed meeting with Ariel Sharon at the height of Operation Defensive Shield, there a courtesy visit with Ehud Olmert toward the end of Operation Cast Lead. Even when his legs were in the East, his heart was far away in the West, in the White House and in the U.S. State Department.

During president George W. Bush's eight years in office, Solana transformed the European Union into a ward of the Americans with regard to anything related to the Mideast conflict. It is unclear what suddenly prompted him to take the initiative and suggest that the UN set a target date for the creation of a Palestinian state, even without Israel's consent. Perhaps it is the new spirit emanating from the White House, or perhaps it is his impending retirement - maybe both.

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  • What would Arab states have to give in exchange for a settlement freeze?
  • Israel seeks Arab response for settlement building freeze
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      1.   Well, yeah, you nailed it Eldar. 03:54  |  Johnboy 14/07/09
      2.   So just change the old rhettoric to new rhettoric? 06:26  |  jim the mechanic 14/07/09
      3.   Stunning 07:15  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/07/09
      4.   Solana realized, that its the europeans that make his 07:25  |  Kris Lazar 14/07/09
      5.   illegal immigrants... 07:42  |  James Hovland 14/07/09
      6.   The ethnic cleansing argument is far from over 07:53  |  Peter Williams 14/07/09
      7.   Israel Project is highly unprofessional 07:54  |  Yoni 14/07/09
      8.   The credibility of Israels governments is zero 07:55  |  Natallie Durson 14/07/09
      9.   Leave arguments speak 4 themselves 08:23  |  h 14/07/09
      10.   Israel should fight for its rights! 08:24  |  Malka Ziv 14/07/09
      11.   You cant put a spin on land grab 08:42  |  Ola 14/07/09
      12.   "Settlements" are not the issue!!! The Muslim-Arab refusal to... 08:46  |  Amihai 14/07/09
      13.   Eldar - When it comes to PR spin you are the expert. 09:16  |  Zev 14/07/09
      14.   #10 you may be right, zev...although... 10:08  |  eric 14/07/09
      15.   Hasbara 10:42  |  Froy 14/07/09
      16.   Amihai-For Pals the Jewish presence is the issue 11:39  |  Sam 14/07/09
      17.   Somebody took my letter 11:42  |  k 14/07/09
      18.   Does the Israel Project say bad things about Haaretz? 11:47  |  k 14/07/09
      19.   The uneducated man`s view on the street in the UK 11:52  |  H 14/07/09
      20.   #6 Soooo, damned if the do, and damned if they don`t 11:59  |  Johnboy 14/07/09
      21.   RE: Israel Project is highly unprofessional 12:03  |  h 14/07/09
      22.   Lebensraum 12:59  |  Dekel 14/07/09
      23.   Amihai ? Of course you are right, and I thank you. 13:03  |  Geulah 14/07/09
      24.   Religious arguments 13:10  |  David Olesker 14/07/09
      25.   Talking to me again Johnboy? 13:38  |  Peter Williams 14/07/09
      26.   could this article be more racist? 13:52  |  adam 14/07/09
      27.   Why do the settlements have to be defended 15:41  |  ARTH 14/07/09
      28.   The Israel Project 15:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/07/09
      29.   #15 froy and the manual of misinformation 16:59  |  v hardman 14/07/09
      30.   Israel Trying To Defend The Indefensible 19:30  |  World Citizen 14/07/09
      31.   Israel Defending the Indefensible (Continued) 19:36  |  World Citizen 14/07/09
      32.   No matter the spin, illegal settlements remain...illegal. 19:42  |  jens 14/07/09
      33.   #29 victor hardhead aka paul harris--mr 19222nd try 19:45  |  Labhras 14/07/09
      34.   Fatah: "Our Goal Has Never Been Peace" 20:02  |  Dan Patton 14/07/09
      35.   The answer is NO Mark of Lewiston 20:47  |  Mark Lincoln 14/07/09
      36.   For the Jews and for the Gentiles 21:16  |  Yaakov Sullivan 14/07/09
      37.   Arresting Eichmann in 1960 was against International Law 21:26  |  David Susser 14/07/09
      38.   #32 jens send your address and i will provide a free 23:37  |  v hardman 14/07/09
      39.   Settlements ethnically cleansed of their previous Arab landowners 23:57  |  binny 14/07/09
      40.   Recycled Israeli red herring is getting harder to sell 00:14  |  Ivar 15/07/09
      41.   Enough spin 02:02  |  WHG 15/07/09
      42.   Pretty accurate article 03:03  |  American 15/07/09
      43.   settlements 03:19  |  ayad 15/07/09
      44.   Israel doesn`t need to be consulted about a new Palestinain state 03:20  |  betz55 15/07/09
      45.   #25 Don`t flatter yourself, Peter Williams 03:22  |  Johnboy 15/07/09
      46.   #27 That is the ICJ`s ruling in two sentences, ARTH 03:38  |  Johnboy 15/07/09
      47.   The US Constitution Says No 04:31  |  George Bell 15/07/09
      48.   Israel project is anti-Israel 04:53  |  Arieh Zimmerman 15/07/09
      49.   The problem is Islam 04:53  |  Jasper 15/07/09
      50.   Wait a minute- America`s "best Jewish minds" 05:09  |  newageblues 15/07/09
      51.   I think you`re wrong, betz55 05:14  |  newageblues 15/07/09
      52.   I think you`re wrong, betz55 05:14  |  newageblues 15/07/09
      53.   "Best Jewish minds" don`t defend the indefensible... 06:53  |  Hannah 15/07/09
      54.   That Explains That, Mark Lincoln 08:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/07/09
      55.   40 George Bell - That Quaint Thing? 08:30  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/07/09
      56.   Bibi`s shuck and jive routine 09:14  |  allang 15/07/09
      57.   Mission Impossible 10:14  |  dave 15/07/09
      58.   This lobby has a hard row to hoe 12:23  |  r cummings 15/07/09
      59.   And why leave them authority over themselves, Betz? 14:42  |  Nemesis 15/07/09
      60.   OBAMA CAN`T GET JOBS FOR AMERICANS 15:14  |  Petra 15/07/09
      61.   Settlers should settle the contested territory. 15:20  |  17 15/07/09
      62.   spin and #10 16:22  |  bob 15/07/09
      63.   Vocabulary question 16:28  |  Josi 15/07/09
      64.   Why Israel gave the Sinai and Gaza back to Arabs, but not Judea 17:47  |  Jason 15/07/09
      65.   It`s all a settlement, silly 18:00  |  Shmuel 15/07/09
      66.   #35 Mark Lincoln on #3 Mark of Lewiston 18:37  |  Mark B. 15/07/09
      67.   Looking For A Good Sound Bite 18:59  |  Jeff Northridge 15/07/09
      68.   #12 - "Settlements" are not the issue!!! .... 21:18  |  Ice 15/07/09
      69.   nobody understands spin like the Akivaman! 03:12  |  Mark 16/07/09
      70.   The biggest PR spin on the settlements ... 05:02  |  Jasper 16/07/09
      71.   so why are jews ever so much more important? 06:37  |  do tell? 16/07/09
      72.   #42 jasper says: "it ain`t the settlements. it never has been"? 07:49  |  eric 16/07/09
      73.   Israel Settlements 20:09  |  lori 19/07/09
      74.   How to apply PR spin 00:59  |  NDBLTWY 20/07/09
      75.   Settlements have made a hard bed to lie in 10:55  |  sonjand 22/07/09
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