The Hasbara Apparatus: Hasbara While Distinguishing Between Direct, Basic, and E
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Essential Components of Effective Public Diplomacy 1 Coordination & Management C. Engagement and Branding: Israel at Heart, Birthright, England) and in online surveys. These networks were activated Jewish National Fund, Aish HaTorah. during Operation Cast Lead (2008). of Hasbara Messaging D. Crisis Management: CAMERA, ADL, ZOA, AJC, The Israel 1.1 The National Hasbara Forum Project, The David Project, StandWithUs, AICE, Jerusalem 6 Dynamism & Crisis Management A. Formulating principle messages for domestic and foreign Center for Public Affairs (JCPA). The Hasbara Apparatus: hasbara while distinguishing between direct, basic, and E. Strategic Partnerships: The Israel Project, JCPA, AIPAC, 6.1 Internet Warfare (Foreign Ministry, Hasbara periodic messaging. ADL, CUFI, Jewish National Fund America (JFNA). Ministry) Units, Tasks and Areas of Responsibility B. Formulating policy responses to important events. A. The “Internet Warfare” network (Foreign Ministry): Official C. Presenting hasbara policy recommendations to the 3 Engagement & Branding staff of the Foreign Ministry that works around the clock Appendix to "Israel's Hasbara Problem: Myths and Facts" government based on varying scenarios. writing pro-Israel responses on websites in Europe and the D. A weekly meeting with the participation of the IDF, the Improving Israel's positive image United States, and participates in conversations that deal with Coordinator of Settlement Activity, the Shin Bet, and the Examples: In 2010, the Foreign Ministry increased the marketing Israel on blogs, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. police to reassess the situation and formulate a hasbara plan budget designated for Israel branding from NIS 40 million, of B. The “Web Listener” network (Foreign Ministry): Official staff for the Arab population. which only 10 million was designated specifically for marketing of the Foreign Ministry which constantly tracks blogs, the BBC and hasbara, to NIS 100 million, exclusively designated for Hasbara Apparatus: E. A meeting once every three months which includes media website, and Arab websites. marketing and hasbara. Special emphasis was put on social Department in the Prime Minister’s Office. consultants, market advisors, and experts in the fields of C. The “Situation Room” (Hasbara Ministry): The hasbara networking with a focus on advancing six areas in which Israel apparatus’s virtual network designated for emergencies. The Responsible for Israel’s hasbara activities and psychology and economics to assess the hasbara situation on the ground, determine hasbara strategies, and solidify the has a comparative advantage: Environment (with an emphasis “room” operates in five different languages (English, Russian, acts as spokesman for the Prime Minister. The apparatus tenets of proactive hasbara programs. on desert agriculture); Science and technology (medicine, Spanish, Arabic, and Hebrew) and has three central staffs: new has two parallel arms: the national hasbara headquarters Internet, high-tech industries); Culture and art; The variety of media, Diaspora relations, and hasbara information monitoring. National hasbara headquarters coordinates unified hasbara policy and 1.2 The National Hasbara Forum, Foreign Ministry, ethnicities and traditions; Lifestyle and literature; Social justice The staffs of The "Room" activates hundreds of activists and and the communications and spokesperson’s unit. messaging for the official spokespeople for the State of Israel. The and the Hasbara Ministry: Logistics and Professional (support for special needs populations) (Foreign Ministry). senior bloggers as well as over one hundred thousand Internet Tasks: Responsible for working with Israeli and following fall under its auspices: the Arabic communications advisor to the Prime Minister, the Internet and new media department, and all hasbara Training Other branding projects include: Project “These are the social network users (These networks were activated during the international media, hasbara units, pro-Israel individuals and policy field coordinators, both military and civilian. Headquarters Compiling and distributing hasbara materials: editorials, Journeys of the Children of Israel” (Traveling Art Exhibition) Marmara Flotilla in 2010 and the Gaza Flotilla in 2011). and organizations worldwide, and the operation of all are in constant contact with pro-Israel individuals and organizations content pages, presentations, films, Internet forums and Project “Celebrating Israel” (Tribute to Israel Parade down D. Initiatives to deliberately remove anti-Israel messaging websites and social networks for the Prime Minister’s Office. that function locally and worldwide. It coordinates these bodies to (Hasbara Forum). New York's 5th Avenue) sponsored by the Hasbara Ministry from the Internet (Hasbara Ministry's Department of New National Hasbara advance the objectives and stances of the State of Israel. Headquarters and informal partners abroad. Officially, the apparatus is limited to state and national Media): E.g. The fight to remove the Third Intifada application transmits essential hasbara messages and assists in the production from the Apple Store and the fight to remove the Facebook issues and does not handle political or party issues. of hasbara materials. Headquarters places special emphasis on social Headquarters 2 Informal Hasbara page that calls for the Third Intifada. networks, a methodology that stems from a belief that direct, unmediated 4 Long-Term Partnerships communication with a broad public around the world will engender Main Tasks: 6.2 Students Abroad (Foreign Ministry, Hasbara trust and promote the reliable transfer of the State of Israel’s hasbara Partnerships with Diaspora Jewry (hasbara 1. Mapping voluntary hasbara organizations in Israel and the Ministry, and Jewish Agency) messaging. Like the National Hasbara Forum, hasbara headquarters holds headquarters, Foreign Ministry, and Hasbara Ministry). regular meetings for the “New Media Forum” to promote Internet and world, and identifying the unique hasbara needs of each A. “Faces of Israel” Project (Hasbara Ministry). Sending a social network based hasbara. organization based on its target group (students, Jewish Essential activities: delegation of young people from Israel to campuses abroad communities, etc.) A. “Round table” of organizations (hasbara headquarters). to reinforce the existing hasbara networks during “anti-Israel” 2. Holding a roundtable once every other month with hasbara B. Formulating unique hasbara programming for Jewish events such as “Israel Apartheid Week” (Hasbara Ministry). organizations in order to regulate and coordinate partnerships communities around the world according to their needs B. Bringing high school students from the Diaspora to Israel and to develop joint hasbara programs. Foreign Ministry (hasbara headquarters and Foreign Ministry in conjunction to prepare them “for their departure to campuses where IDF Spokesperson’s with the “Nativ” Liaison Bureau, the Jewish Agency, the JDC, they will fight against the phenomenon of delegitimization” Department of Media Division 2.1 Informal Hasbara through Israelis: and other Jewish organizations). (Hasbara Ministry). A. Projects “We Are All Ambassadors” and “Explaining Israel”. & Hasbara Division of the IDF. Responsible for C. Hasbara seminars for Jewish communities in the Diaspora Department of the Foreign Ministry. representing the Israel Defense Forces B. Logistics and Professional Training (National Hasbara (Hasbara Ministry). At present there are 20 hasbara seminars 7 Entrusted with the hasbara of the Foreign 1 5 1 to Israeli and international media. Forum, Foreign Ministry, Hasbara Ministry). for lay leadership held around the world in Europe (Austria Strategic Targeting . Responsible for both traditional and Britain), North America (USA), South America (Brazil, Ministry 2 6 5 Considered a part of the hasbara C. Training delegations (Hasbara Ministry). 7.1 Arabic Communications (National Hasbara Forum and new media, media relations both Mexico, Columbia, Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, apparatus. D. Finding and producing content for representatives and and Foreign Ministry) foreign and Israeli, as well as general 3 7 6 Venezuela, and Costa Rica). Additional seminars are planned for Tasks: Promotion of hasbara on the target communities abroad (Foreign Ministry). A. Directing official spokespeople of the State of Israel to public relations. The department's goal is Internet through new media by operating Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Columbia, Chile, and Peru. to relate the Israeli narrative to the world, 4 E. Building companies in different countries to channel Arabic-language media (Foreign Ministry). the IDF's official of the IDF's official hasbara messages from the State of Israel (Foreign Ministry). in its entirely and in all its diversity. This English website and blog, Youtube 5 B. Upgrading hasbara websites in Arabic and Persian (Foreign division (Media and Hasbara) is part of channel, Twitter profile and Flikr account. F. Students Abroad (Foreign Ministry, Hasbara Ministry, Multi-Dimensional Ministry). the broader public diplomacy apparatus Jewish Agency). This includes: “Hasbara Emissaries” (Jewish Communications Strategy 7.2 Targeting Opinion Makers (Foreign Ministry and of the Foreign Ministry. Agency and Hasbara Ministry in conjunction with Hillel); Hasbara Ministry) Areas of Responsibility: Management of National Hasbara Forum Israeli cultural events on campuses (Hasbara Ministry); 5.1 Determining