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Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
Guest Blog: World opinion: who cares?
Posted by Glen A. Fritz
Comments: 24
    
Israel forces recently captured the vessel Francop carrying hundreds of tons of Iranian weaponry en route to Hizbullah for use in southern Lebanon against Israel. The backdrop of this event is the longstanding Iranian effort to develop nuclear weapons to intimidate its neighbors and the West. With regard to the arms seizure, the Israeli press expressed dismay not at the pathetic lack of international indignation against Iran, but rather at the ineffective manner in which the Israeli government publicized it. The Jerusalem Post remarked that:
Similarly, Yisrael Hayom observed that:
The article goes on to note that "it is rare to find a conglomerate that does its own PR." The author concludes:
In my opinion, these comments point to a degree of naiveté in the collective Israeli psyche, underpinned by an unhealthy preoccupation with wanting to be liked by "the world," and the mistaken idea that Israel could actually do something to get "the world" to like it. Naiveté overlooks the fact that achievement and self-determination, let alone nobility and altruism, are rarely celebrated on the world stage. Looking at what has gone on in the UN over the last 60 years, the sad reality is that world politics is dominated by back-room deals, opportunists, appeasers, extortionists, tyrants, cowards and liars. Israel's past hand wringing about "world opinion" has already been shown to be a fruitless enterprise. The world at large will never come to Israel's aid unless there is a sure gain in power or prestige to be had from doing so. Israel simply needs to do what is best for the safety and welfare of its own people. Maybe the US should also worry a little less about "world opinion." In the current world environment, it seems it would be better to be respected than liked.
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Ray Saperstein, Baltimore, USA,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
For public relations to be effective, you need to have an audience that has some reason to be interested in the message. Unfortunately, the world is not interested in the PR that Israel tries to put forth. I doubt that the world would be any more interested in PR regarding Israel from a professional firm. Perhaps the best Israel can do is publicize the negatives of the Palestinians so that the world will like them less, because the world will never like Israel more.
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dale/ usa,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
i agree that israel shouldn't worry about being liked. after 2000 years of antisemitism for jews/israel to want to be liked is a fruitless ambition. i'd rather see israel feared than liked if a choice has to be made. if it's feared perhaps israel's enemies will be less likely to attack/harass it.
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Brian DeFrancesco,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
Outrageous, it may sound. But a lot of us Americans (no, really!), we love to see you guys re-establish Israel on our unused federal lands in the west.
Check this link out, then start packing! You're welcome here!
[ Link to page ]
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G Kaplan, Canada,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
It is arrogant to think that Israel should not care what the world thinks. Terrorist groups and hostile nations are well-aware of the power of communication in general, and web-based communication in particular, to deliver their anti-Israel messages. J-Street, and the continuing on-campus and union-based Israel apartheid campaigns, are often led by Jews, and others on the left, who have been swayed through the very effective communication strategies of Israel's enemies. Israel has to learn from them and effectively tell its story to the world. Now!.
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Claudia, Tampa, FL USA,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
I agree 100% that Israel needs a professional PR firm to handle this stuff. While I pay attention because I support a Jewish Israel, the rest of the world seems to bow to Arab oil. Israel and we (the US) should certainly worry less about world opinion! Look at our enormous dollar support of the UN and it seems to benefit all the weasles and not the democracies. I'd rather our efforts go to supporting like minded political systems, i.e. freedom, etc., than propping up barbaric Islamic theocracies and group like the pathetic human rights commission that supports NO human rights anywhere.
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Jan, Australia,
Tuesday Nov 17, 2009
In a recent analysis of a world famous architect where colleagues remembered his work, it emerged as a strong theme that he was respected because he achieved his ends, but nobody mentioned anything that would indicate they liked him. One article indicated what I'd call fear. They couldn't stand up to him as they feared him. But when the architect was interviewed he mentioned that sometimes he wondered if his critics could be right, but he didn't want to be accused of being unsure. Ignore the critics and they might respect you- If it works for a person it should work for a nation.
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Frank,- Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
As an American I am becoming increasingly resentful of the manner in which Israel manuplates our good will, and government . I believe that our tax dollars should not be spent to foster such unjust
global propoganda.
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Yudi F usa,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
The author is correct..we Jews (Israelis) worry to much about "why do they hate us, we Jews only do so much good?" The sad fact is that it will never happen. Yes, try to do a better job in PR, but it still wont help. When we Jews are victims ..there is a little pity..when we defend ourselves as Israel does, we are the agreesors. We can't win but we do a heckova job surviving 4000 yrs and we're still here! To qoute a Philospher E.M. Cioran "Jews are always hoping, they hope too much." Has there ever been a time in history when someone, somewhere, wasn't trying to kill Jews? Do PR..oh yeah!
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Padraig,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Well written. Israel does a terrible job xplaining actions taken against terror. Where are Goldwyn and Mayer? Where's Billy Rose? Where's Golda, who'd have the bomb throwers blushing? At least hire some Madison Ave. hucksters if you can't convey moral outrage.
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Yona Geitel, Givatayim, Israel,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Glen wrote a nice article, and I enjoyed reading it, but he's very wrong (I gave him a '5' anyhow). To understand why he's wrong you need to read this: [ Link to page ] .
In short, the media battlefield is no less important than the military battlefield. Lose one and you risk losing the other.
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Chris USA,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Sorry fritz, but your way off mark. While what you say about politica being a dirty business is correct, you never see successful manipulators who don't appear whitewashed for the common man. Every agenda, whether good or evil, must be presented in marketable terms that is convient, seemly affordable, and seemly useful. If this were not the case then companies wouldn't spend vast amounts on advertising. Ignoring this is akin to buring one's head in the sand while being attacked. What could happen? Many disturbing events can be forced upon Israel by a collective existential challenge.
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nkd,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Absolutely on the money, the world does not like Jews, the world stood by and watched us being slaughtered by the Germans. Oslo and this other nonsense comes from the misconception that by giving back land the world will love us, instead we were much more popular before Oslo. Is it not obvious, we are bombarded in Sderot for 8 yrs and when we fight back we are guilty of war crimes (Goldstone is also a Jew looking for the love of the world). Thank you for speaking the truth that everyone is afraid to say.
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John R,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
There have been 65 UNSC resolutions against Israel since 1948. There would have been 28 more absent American vetoes. Three of those 28 called for the imposition of a severe economic embargo against Israel which would basically cripple its economy. In less than 10 years the Arab/Muslim voting aged population in Gaza,WB and Israel proper will exceed the Jewish voting aged population in those areas. Once you institutionalize apartheid to deal with that, watch what ignoring the world will bring you. PR doesn't help legalize WB settlements. Take your head out of the sand.
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Joseph, London,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Those of us involved in demanding Israel get equal time and a right of reply can pinpoint the exact source of problems to us -- Israelis themselves !!! One Prof writes a book saying it might just be possible -- but unlikely -- that mediaerval blood libels were true, something even the Vatican denies. Another Prof wrtotes a book saying Jews are Khazars and Berbers, and the Jewish people was a 19th C. Zionist invention. Another Prof writes in LA that the world should boycott Israel. In London most anti-Israel campaigns are led by Israeli academics. Haaretz spews vitriol against Israel and Jews.
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Shyamal Bagchee,
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
Israel is a renegade, racist and illegitimate 'state' with strong hold on western allies' over-stretched sense of guilt. The larger world knows that Israel has powerful friends abroad, and any negative criticism it receives from its allies is secretly accompanied by diplomatic signals of support from the same very sources. Empty threats from Obama, EU and other friends can easilyy be dismissed by Israelis; no courage is required to do that. Israel is the most dangerous nuclear-armed and sinister 'terrorist' state on earth. Even your publishing my note will not change the facts of the case.
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Jon, Berkeley, CA,
Thursday Nov 19, 2009
Public opinion is shaped by many factors. Having an effective PR strategy, which Israel seems to lack, can make a substantial difference. Of course, effective PR by itself is not enough, but that does not justify not even trying. Israel's enemies make effective use of PR firms, Israel needs to improve in this area because world opinion does matter.
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richard, las vegas nv usa,
Thursday Nov 19, 2009
security and welfare of israel come first. if not, israel will vanish from the earth. one cannot dishonor the govenments who oppose israel, such as iran et al, in the u.n. countries will not stop picking on israel. so what does it matter if israel has bad press or not enough good press. and what good will a pr company do?
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Tenzin, Dharamsala, India,
Thursday Nov 19, 2009
It's not about antisemitism and it never will be. And no amount of PR can gloss over the simplicity of it all. You are military occupiers and you will end the way all occupiers do. Like the Palestinians, I had my country stolen but you are more cruel than the Chinese.
At least the Chinese don't pretend.
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new_york_loner,
Thursday Nov 19, 2009
The author, the Israeli government, the Israeli media and the Israeli public are all "dismayed" about a perceived "pathetic lack of international indignation against Iran," Maybe the international public is suffering from Indignation Burn-out,
Israel cried "WOLF!" before, over Saddam's alleged WMD. Now, the US is not in a hurry to militarily engage Iran. As we Americans like to say, once burned (by Israeli intelligence), twice shy.
Israel tricked her primary defender and benefactor into invading and occupying Iraq. The US military is not likely to repeat that mistake, by atacking Iran.
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Yoni, Israel,
Friday Nov 20, 2009
To Tenzin, Dharamsala, who claims that Israel stole Palestine I offer the following facts: There was a state of Israel for 1120 years between 1100 BC until 70 AD (from the judges until the destruction of temple). From that time on , it was occupied by the Romans, Arabs,Ottamans and British until 1948 when the UN mandated that the jews had a legitimate right to return to their promised land. Do you see Palestinians mentioned? If you are a good person with bad information this should make you change your mind.
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Tron NYC,
Friday Nov 20, 2009
#19 also needs a reality check and history lesson. If any countries claim to be a military benefacter, that would be Kuwait, and more importantly Saudi Arabia. Israel, does not need to have any country fight, as it never had any help before. So you clearly dont know anything of what you are spewing. This is why ISrael has such BAD PR. because the people like you are so anti Jew/ mis informed about Israel that you dont care anyway
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Jerry Lindberg, Minneapolis, MN,
Friday Nov 20, 2009
A lack of indignation should surprise no one. Media, the instrument by which Israel's reflection is broadcast, is woefully pathetic at telling the whole story. The American media, in particular, works in diabolical concert with ruling political class. That Israel is miscast is no accident. It is a design. The author of this piece is correct in that the world is aligned against Israel. The American Christian Right knows this, but we are often handcuffed fighting our own PR wars against the dominant political/religious orthodoxy.
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soulpower sweden,
Saturday Nov 21, 2009
israel doesnt have a chance in hell to survive.her desire for an hounerable peace has deprived her of the understanding for the need of power. instead of using the spectacular victory of 1967 to destroy her enemy permanently israel has turned into a goody twoshoes peacemongering wimp.enemy population explosion will bring israels demise. israel will become judenrein unless she somehow can make her surroundings islamrein...looks like all democratic peaceloving nations will be conquoured by islam. media gives power to the powerful.
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akiva Avrohum, Manhattan, NY,
Thursday Dec 31, 2009
Yes I agree with the author 100% ! Israel lacks good PR. They need someone who speaks english very well and to the point about the dangers of exporting weapons to terrorist regimes. Netanyahu speaks very well but tends not to make sure the right message is getting out. Speak up Israel because no one else wants to !
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