'Allies and friends' will
promote government policy to press and public
meetings as part of fresh PR drive
Harriet Sherwood in
Jerusalem
Sunday 28 November 2010
Israel has instructed its
embassies in 10 European countries, including the
UK, each to recruit 1,000 members of the public
to act as advocates for its policies in a new
public relations offensive.
A cable from the foreign
affairs ministry was sent to embassies last week,
with instructions from Avigdor Lieberman, the
controversial and extreme right-wing foreign
minister, to adopt a range of measures aimed at
improving Israel's standing in Europe.
The most unusual was the
order to identify up to 1,000 people by mid-January
to act as "allies" to Israel. One
source described them as "friends who are
willing not just to receive messages but to
actively promote these messages". These
individuals likely to be drawn from Jewish
or Christian activists, academics, journalists
and students will be briefed regularly by
Israeli officials and encouraged to speak up for
Israel at public meetings or write letters or
articles for the press.
Five European capitals
have also been identified for a more conventional
PR push. Israeli embassies in London, Paris,
Berlin, Madrid and Rome will receive funds to
hire professional PR firms and lobbyists.
PR companies will be
asked to focus on political messages, such as:
Israel's position on talks with the Palestinians;
subjects which can help "brand" Israel,
such as tourism and technology; and regional
issues to which Israel wishes to draw attention,
such as human rights in Iran or Arab countries.
The foreign affairs
ministry also suggested that embassies across
Europe organise monthly high-profile public
events to promote Israel and its government's
policies, and visits to Israel for influential
individuals. Lieberman is planning to meet
ambassadors to European countries next month to
push the new PR offensive.
An Israeli official
refused to comment on the disclosure but said:
"Obviously we are always looking for ways to
improve our communications, there's nothing
unusual in that," adding: "There is
anxiety about the way Israel is perceived abroad,
and there is particular worry about certain
countries in western Europe."
Israel has previously
launched drives to improve its image through
hasbara literally meaning explanation,
although alternatively interpreted as public
diplomacy, spin or propaganda. During its three-week
war on Gaza, which began in December 2008, Israel
launched a PR strategy through its national
information directorate to co-ordinate key
messages on a daily basis.
The Israeli government,
military and various embassies are adept at using
social media such as Twitter, Facebook and
YouTube to promote material. Organisations such
as Bicom, the Britain Israel Communications
Research Centre, in the UK and the Israel Project
in the US, which describe themselves as
independent, are dedicated to promoting Israeli
policies. Both organisations offer regular
briefings, contacts and tours to foreign
correspondents based in Israel and Palestine, and
all-expenses paid trips to Israel for journalists,
including from the Guardian, based elsewhere. ...