I hear what you're saying and they're all good points, but Israel needs to do SOMETHING about the horrible PR problem. Its infowar and someone a country as advanced as Israel is losing this technological arms race. Journalists need to be seeing the aid that's waiting, the way Hamas fights, etc.
They need to at least have competent, well spoken spokespeople who can talk through these outlets to the moderates in Europe and the US. We haven't seen any serious attempt at this from this government. Regardless of the very real security realities- this issue combined with the absolute lack of even attempting to speak rationally to anyone left of center is a huge issue for both Israel and the Diaspora.
You're assuming that the Jewish PR problem started with Israel. It didn't. The Jews have always had bad PR because it's hard to fight antisemitism and blood libels. And Israel does a good job on their social media channels of doing what you said.
No, im not. Im really not. I understand that there is no way to win against the entire Arab world, I get it. The fact remains that the last few times representitives of Israel were on BBC and NPR they did a bad job communicating the Israeli perspective, they did a bad job countering all the hamas messaging. They came off as callous and shallow to regular people who live in Liberal Democraies who dont know anything about yhis.
I do follow their social media channels, and they do a good job if like you or I you already have a basic understanding of what's going on. They do a bad job of outreach to moderates who arent Jewish and arent involved already.
I know Israel can do better at communicating, they can't win but they can do a lot better. People like Haviv Gur know how to communicate the realities of war to people who are left of center. This is a cop out answer, frankly. I dont understand why a country that clearly has the moral high ground is allowing the enemy to paint them as unjust. Well I do understand- the current government is disinterested in communicating with anyone left of center.
I disagree vigorously. How can we trust that Israel isn’t also manipulating us with propaganda? I am a Zionist and strong supporter of Israel, but when they don’t let international media into document what is happening, I find it very suspicious. Does the Israeli government think we’re fools? Does the Future of Jewish think we’re fools? The only news coming out of Gaza is Al Jazeera, which we know we cannot trust. What is the Israeli government afraid of?
When Israel reports on something, they have loads of evidence. They invite journalists and the world to examine the evidence. Hamas just makes stuff up and it is believed by the press with no evidence or followed up. When it was claimed that the Bibas children were murdered by the actual hands of the terrorists, Israel knew the world wouldn't believe them so they immediately invited investigators/coroners from all over the world to come examine the little bodies. Same with victims of the Oct. 7 atrocities. And when Hamas and "journalists" report something, Israel does full investigations and admits when in error (and when the facts come out in favor of Israel, the press often ignores it). The reasons listed in this article are valid.
So, if Israel invites journalists to view the evidence when it is favorable to their narrative — and on some occasions when it isn’t — why not in Gaza?
If it bleeds it leads, if it does not fit the MSM narrative they are not interested in it, but they also have no problem lying to make it fit, you all remember Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Aguilar and Gaza Boy, everyone condemned the IDF for the disgraceful story spread by this pig and the MSM, only to find out that it was all made up B/S, no the IDF is right to do this and the world can think what they want, they are going to anyway so who cares.
It's very hard to show something is made up, when it's only the IDF say-so. You seem to believe them categorically. You shouldn't. The IDF also lies. I'll even give you an example: the video that allegedly showed Hamas feasting in a tunnel during claims of starvation was shot so long ago that the IDF had already killed some of the jihadis in it. It was from much earlier in the war.
You have no proof to back that lie, you are a verbal agitator looking to push a B/S narrative, you are the same guy that goes around attacking everything you don't like or disagrees with your opinion, it the reason you hated Charlie Kirk, my question is why exactly are you on this forum when you despise everything we stand for, why even bother coming here as you are not going to change or influence us in any way whatsoever.
What would proof be? How about we fly to Israel together, ask Amos Harel just who in the video was already dead, then verify with the IDF. Loser pays all expenses. I fly first class.
Even Bari Weiss’s Free Press worries about the inaccurate PR. But you are more interested in watching the IDF count coup.
Same offer I gave Malcolm: we fly together to Israel, first class, meet with Amos Harel (the journalist), have him explain to us who in the video was long since dead, confirm that with IDF claims… loser pays all expenses.
You sound more like an American JINO than a Zionist, and I doubt very much you are one, please tell us why it is suspicious for the IDF to keep the MSM out of our business when it is there business to cause us more harm than anything else, there has not been one single member of the MSM that has ever reported honestly on the IDF's activities, and them being there to take pictures and publish faces of IDF troops and movements so that Hamas and every other lunatic fringe can then ID these brave men and woman, HFN, never going to happen, so sorry Debi Levine I don't believe you or that you are a Zionist, nor an Israel supporter at all, and just a quick heads up, what Al Jazcrap puts out is not coming out of Gaza, its all garbage that they are making up just like the rest of the Amalgamated Press core is doing.
Now the IDF have a job to finish so get out of the way, STFU and let them do what you and your family don't have the nutz to do.
You don't sound like a Zionist and a strong supporter of Israel. Zionists and strong supporters of Israel dont say "How can we trust that Israel isn't manipulating us with its propoganda." This is what the enemies Israel say. So thats I conclude.
You're full of shit. I don't believe you're a supporter of Israel.
What's suspicious about not allowing reporters into a war zone where they can get kidnapped or killed? Were you suspicious when reporters weren't allowed into other war zones mentioned in the article?
Do you think we're fools who believe you actually are a Zionist?
In the thee-ate-'er (mah wheelhouse), you don't allow the critics in 'fore openin' night...not even fer dress rehearsals as whut gits published is...critical. It kin make or break a show.... (In war, all the more so!). Journalists ARE like critics...some favorable, others not so much. I'm not sayin' a policy of not lettin' anyone cover is best but given this war is also a media war... I'm willin' ta give Israel the benefit of the doubt. Enuf bad press plagues 'em, who wants ta heap on more? Also, under the watchful eye of the camera Israel has suffered (wrongly) b/c images DO lie (now!) -- just as badly as writers...
They even call it a "war theater" or "theater of war" an' in a sense... there's sumthin' to that--stuff planned, staged, often covert, it would only take one LEAK from an unsympathetic journalist ta blow up a plan...an' some bodies too. Risky as heck. An' either way the haters gonna hate. An' yes, the MSM cub reporters are a joke ('cept fer the harm they do) so why let the thief in the front door? (An' of COURSE I'm biased lol!)
I am a photojournalist who has covered the 1988 Intifada and many other stories in Gaza and the West Bank. From my experience, I can say that the main premise of this piece is correct. Most of the European and some of the American journalists I worked with were anti-Israel if not completely anti-Semitic. There's no upside to letting foreign press into Gaza.
As long as the legacy media is woke and reporting Hamas propaganda as news Israel should restrict access to Gaza to those reporters such as John Spencer and Douglas Murray who write from N N objective perspective
If journalists were trues full and not political activists that would have been wonderful and Israel would have no problem letting them in….but that is not the case! so good for Israel for not letting them in.
"Foreign correspondents’ copy was based on whatever stories their local fixers ferried to them."
Actually foreign correspondents do enter Gaza. There is the CBC's Margaret Wenteand Margaret Evans to name two, and there NPR's Anas Baba a "Palestinian." All journalists are vetted by Hamas and their coverage conform to its version of events, otherwise at the very least they are denied entry or they face more serious consequences on the ground.
You don't have to agree with it. And if you are Israeli you dont have to vote for it. But if you are a Zionist then in the midst of an existential war you support it.
The fact is that in the eyes of the world Israel can do nothing right. If they embed a reporter with a combat unit and something happens to that reporter, now Israel is condemned for not taking enough precautions to safeguard them. If they embed a reporter to the rear of the fighting, Israel gets condemned for not granting true access.
If your prospects in this situation are lose/lose, why take the gamble?
I see plenty of complaints in this comment section but no real pragmatic solutions being offered
Let's be honest: the fight in Gaza is not a pretty sight and even pro- Israel newsoutlets have a hard time to do their jobs: "Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst is under fire—for reporting the harsh realities on the ground in Gaza. Now, Israeli journalists and lobbyists are actively pushing Fox News to sack him for simply doing his job." I am afraid correspondents from 'Telegraph'or 'New York Post' wouldn't fare much better.
Israel doesn’t even let its own military correspondents, some of whom have good relationships with the IDF, into Gaza. Ockham’s Razor says they have something to hide.
LOL the Israeli media is all left wing and very anti the IDF, they would be on top of my list of keep out organizations, if it were up to them Israel would not even exist today as they would have handed over the country to islam years ago.
I hear what you're saying and they're all good points, but Israel needs to do SOMETHING about the horrible PR problem. Its infowar and someone a country as advanced as Israel is losing this technological arms race. Journalists need to be seeing the aid that's waiting, the way Hamas fights, etc.
They need to at least have competent, well spoken spokespeople who can talk through these outlets to the moderates in Europe and the US. We haven't seen any serious attempt at this from this government. Regardless of the very real security realities- this issue combined with the absolute lack of even attempting to speak rationally to anyone left of center is a huge issue for both Israel and the Diaspora.
You're assuming that the Jewish PR problem started with Israel. It didn't. The Jews have always had bad PR because it's hard to fight antisemitism and blood libels. And Israel does a good job on their social media channels of doing what you said.
No, im not. Im really not. I understand that there is no way to win against the entire Arab world, I get it. The fact remains that the last few times representitives of Israel were on BBC and NPR they did a bad job communicating the Israeli perspective, they did a bad job countering all the hamas messaging. They came off as callous and shallow to regular people who live in Liberal Democraies who dont know anything about yhis.
I do follow their social media channels, and they do a good job if like you or I you already have a basic understanding of what's going on. They do a bad job of outreach to moderates who arent Jewish and arent involved already.
I know Israel can do better at communicating, they can't win but they can do a lot better. People like Haviv Gur know how to communicate the realities of war to people who are left of center. This is a cop out answer, frankly. I dont understand why a country that clearly has the moral high ground is allowing the enemy to paint them as unjust. Well I do understand- the current government is disinterested in communicating with anyone left of center.
Its not the Arab world. Its the entire left wing media conglomerate together with Chinese Iranian and Russian misinformation.
I disagree vigorously. How can we trust that Israel isn’t also manipulating us with propaganda? I am a Zionist and strong supporter of Israel, but when they don’t let international media into document what is happening, I find it very suspicious. Does the Israeli government think we’re fools? Does the Future of Jewish think we’re fools? The only news coming out of Gaza is Al Jazeera, which we know we cannot trust. What is the Israeli government afraid of?
The Israeli government is afraid of Hamas kidnapping journalists and using them as leverage, like they do with the Israeli hostages.
That doesn’t explain not letting them into relatively secure areas.
Every explanation except the obvious one.
When Israel reports on something, they have loads of evidence. They invite journalists and the world to examine the evidence. Hamas just makes stuff up and it is believed by the press with no evidence or followed up. When it was claimed that the Bibas children were murdered by the actual hands of the terrorists, Israel knew the world wouldn't believe them so they immediately invited investigators/coroners from all over the world to come examine the little bodies. Same with victims of the Oct. 7 atrocities. And when Hamas and "journalists" report something, Israel does full investigations and admits when in error (and when the facts come out in favor of Israel, the press often ignores it). The reasons listed in this article are valid.
So, if Israel invites journalists to view the evidence when it is favorable to their narrative — and on some occasions when it isn’t — why not in Gaza?
If it bleeds it leads, if it does not fit the MSM narrative they are not interested in it, but they also have no problem lying to make it fit, you all remember Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Aguilar and Gaza Boy, everyone condemned the IDF for the disgraceful story spread by this pig and the MSM, only to find out that it was all made up B/S, no the IDF is right to do this and the world can think what they want, they are going to anyway so who cares.
It's very hard to show something is made up, when it's only the IDF say-so. You seem to believe them categorically. You shouldn't. The IDF also lies. I'll even give you an example: the video that allegedly showed Hamas feasting in a tunnel during claims of starvation was shot so long ago that the IDF had already killed some of the jihadis in it. It was from much earlier in the war.
You are suffering from motivated reasoning.
You have no proof to back that lie, you are a verbal agitator looking to push a B/S narrative, you are the same guy that goes around attacking everything you don't like or disagrees with your opinion, it the reason you hated Charlie Kirk, my question is why exactly are you on this forum when you despise everything we stand for, why even bother coming here as you are not going to change or influence us in any way whatsoever.
What would proof be? How about we fly to Israel together, ask Amos Harel just who in the video was already dead, then verify with the IDF. Loser pays all expenses. I fly first class.
Even Bari Weiss’s Free Press worries about the inaccurate PR. But you are more interested in watching the IDF count coup.
That's total bullshit.
I'm with you. Blocking this idiotic loser.
Same offer I gave Malcolm: we fly together to Israel, first class, meet with Amos Harel (the journalist), have him explain to us who in the video was long since dead, confirm that with IDF claims… loser pays all expenses.
You sound more like an American JINO than a Zionist, and I doubt very much you are one, please tell us why it is suspicious for the IDF to keep the MSM out of our business when it is there business to cause us more harm than anything else, there has not been one single member of the MSM that has ever reported honestly on the IDF's activities, and them being there to take pictures and publish faces of IDF troops and movements so that Hamas and every other lunatic fringe can then ID these brave men and woman, HFN, never going to happen, so sorry Debi Levine I don't believe you or that you are a Zionist, nor an Israel supporter at all, and just a quick heads up, what Al Jazcrap puts out is not coming out of Gaza, its all garbage that they are making up just like the rest of the Amalgamated Press core is doing.
Now the IDF have a job to finish so get out of the way, STFU and let them do what you and your family don't have the nutz to do.
You don't sound like a Zionist and a strong supporter of Israel. Zionists and strong supporters of Israel dont say "How can we trust that Israel isn't manipulating us with its propoganda." This is what the enemies Israel say. So thats I conclude.
You're full of shit. I don't believe you're a supporter of Israel.
What's suspicious about not allowing reporters into a war zone where they can get kidnapped or killed? Were you suspicious when reporters weren't allowed into other war zones mentioned in the article?
Do you think we're fools who believe you actually are a Zionist?
Oh Laura, that’s really nice. Yeah I’m really going to take you seriously when you talk like that.
In the thee-ate-'er (mah wheelhouse), you don't allow the critics in 'fore openin' night...not even fer dress rehearsals as whut gits published is...critical. It kin make or break a show.... (In war, all the more so!). Journalists ARE like critics...some favorable, others not so much. I'm not sayin' a policy of not lettin' anyone cover is best but given this war is also a media war... I'm willin' ta give Israel the benefit of the doubt. Enuf bad press plagues 'em, who wants ta heap on more? Also, under the watchful eye of the camera Israel has suffered (wrongly) b/c images DO lie (now!) -- just as badly as writers...
They even call it a "war theater" or "theater of war" an' in a sense... there's sumthin' to that--stuff planned, staged, often covert, it would only take one LEAK from an unsympathetic journalist ta blow up a plan...an' some bodies too. Risky as heck. An' either way the haters gonna hate. An' yes, the MSM cub reporters are a joke ('cept fer the harm they do) so why let the thief in the front door? (An' of COURSE I'm biased lol!)
I am a photojournalist who has covered the 1988 Intifada and many other stories in Gaza and the West Bank. From my experience, I can say that the main premise of this piece is correct. Most of the European and some of the American journalists I worked with were anti-Israel if not completely anti-Semitic. There's no upside to letting foreign press into Gaza.
Bravo! Oh how I wish these essays could be posted on the front pages of every newspaper rag in the world. Starting with the heinous NYTimes.
This is breathtakingly brilliant and gorgeously written and I agree with every single word. Kol hakavod!
I'd say, israel should hire any PR firm that can turn the subway murderer of the Ukrainian girl into the next George Floyd.
Now that's an idea I would strongly support.
As long as the legacy media is woke and reporting Hamas propaganda as news Israel should restrict access to Gaza to those reporters such as John Spencer and Douglas Murray who write from N N objective perspective
If journalists were trues full and not political activists that would have been wonderful and Israel would have no problem letting them in….but that is not the case! so good for Israel for not letting them in.
"Foreign correspondents’ copy was based on whatever stories their local fixers ferried to them."
Actually foreign correspondents do enter Gaza. There is the CBC's Margaret Wenteand Margaret Evans to name two, and there NPR's Anas Baba a "Palestinian." All journalists are vetted by Hamas and their coverage conform to its version of events, otherwise at the very least they are denied entry or they face more serious consequences on the ground.
💪🏻⭐🙏🏻
It’s called critical thinking. I have been Zionist my entire life, but that doesn’t mean I support the current Israeli government.
You don't have to agree with it. And if you are Israeli you dont have to vote for it. But if you are a Zionist then in the midst of an existential war you support it.
The fact is that in the eyes of the world Israel can do nothing right. If they embed a reporter with a combat unit and something happens to that reporter, now Israel is condemned for not taking enough precautions to safeguard them. If they embed a reporter to the rear of the fighting, Israel gets condemned for not granting true access.
If your prospects in this situation are lose/lose, why take the gamble?
I see plenty of complaints in this comment section but no real pragmatic solutions being offered
Let's be honest: the fight in Gaza is not a pretty sight and even pro- Israel newsoutlets have a hard time to do their jobs: "Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst is under fire—for reporting the harsh realities on the ground in Gaza. Now, Israeli journalists and lobbyists are actively pushing Fox News to sack him for simply doing his job." I am afraid correspondents from 'Telegraph'or 'New York Post' wouldn't fare much better.
Israel doesn’t even let its own military correspondents, some of whom have good relationships with the IDF, into Gaza. Ockham’s Razor says they have something to hide.
LOL the Israeli media is all left wing and very anti the IDF, they would be on top of my list of keep out organizations, if it were up to them Israel would not even exist today as they would have handed over the country to islam years ago.
Well said Nachum…