Almost every country has a Foreign Ministry, but here in Israel, that entity never seems to be considered as the sole government body promoting our interests worldwide.
Since the reestablishment of the Jewish State 75 years ago, Israeli governments have tried a bunch of other ways to promote its interests. The word hasbara (literally “advocacy” or “explaining”) was invented to portray our difficulties in telling our complex story. Unfortunately, we haven’t succeeded in getting the message across most of the time.
Whether it was our quick and, at times, abrupt responses, or the lack of understanding of cultural differences, the term Hasbara has gained a terrible reputation as propaganda.
Hasbara officially became part of the Zionist lexicon through Nahum Sokolow’s introduction. Sokolow was a Zionist leader and a pioneer of Hebrew journalism. He invented this word, since the unacceptable popular alternative was propaganda and Sokolow wanted to give it a more precise definition.
He explained it as a communicative strategy that “seeks to explain actions, whether or not they are justified.” It represents an inherently defensive and persuasive approach, deeply rooted in Jewish culture, aimed at obtaining and maintaining international support for Israeli policy.
A worldwide perception of propaganda
But while this concept seeks to encompass the dissemination of objective information by Israel, it is stubbornly perceived as propaganda by others. The Israeli public and politicians often attribute Israel’s international challenges to ineffective hasbara, believing that better communication could garner more global support for policies, such as the Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria.
In 1981, The Washington Post mentioned this phenomenon in an article about Israel. “In Hebrew, it is called hasbara when the purpose is to reshape public opinion abroad.” The reporter explained that “at its best, hasbara was set in motion by a bipartisan parliamentary delegation earlier this year to turn US opinion against the eight-point peace plan advanced by Saudi Arabia; in a less successful form, it was mobilized to try to convince Congress not to sell airborne surveillance and enhanced long-range strike equipment to the Saudis.”
During this war, the civilian effort in hasbara has been outstanding, at least in my humble opinion. Thousands of Israelis became content creators on October 7, bringing the most horrifying or emotional stories to social media. It is unclear whether these videos, graphics, or memes were able to burst out of the pro-Israel echo chamber on social media. Still, they had an effect on public opinion in many countries.
The problem is that social media content isn’t always the answer and can only reach a specific effect or influence. What we, the pro-Israel camp, are lacking are media giants, such as Al Jazeera and other Arab or extreme left television stations, news sites, and newspapers. We should learn something from the Qataris, and it’s how they slowly but surely were able to frame the public discourse about the Middle East through their prism.
AL JAZEERA Media Network (AJMN) is a vast media conglomerate based in Wadi Al Sail, Doha, at the Qatar Radio and Television Corporation Complex. Despite receiving public funding from the Qatar government, it operates as a private entity. AJMN encompasses a range of media outlets, including Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera Arabic, and AJ+, among others.
Despite its ties to the Qatar government, AJMN asserts its editorial independence, claiming that its reporting is neither influenced nor directed by the Qatari government and does not represent any official government viewpoints. Former journalists at AJMN claim otherwise.
Israel, the Jewish world, or the Judeo-Christian alliance groups altogether don’t have media outlets that are even a fraction of AJMN. Their toxic and antisemitic network operates 70 news bureaus globally, which makes it the second-largest number for any media company, trailing only the BBC.
There were several attempts to create a Jewish Al Jazeera, but they were all unsuccessful. In 2011, Jewish News One, also known as JN1, served as an international news network that specialized in covering global events, particularly about Jewish matters. Originating from Ukraine and Belgium, the network was committed to delivering Jewish and Israeli news in an unbiased manner. Unfortunately, this venture crashed three years later.
Al Jazeera skyrocketed immediately after the 9/11 attacks in the US as a way to do Muslim hasbara to the Western world. By late 2002, efforts to broaden Al Jazeera’s appeal took a more definitive shape. Ali Mohamed Kama, the network’s director of marketing at the time, initiated a strategy to “reposition” Al Jazeera. This strategy included the introduction of English subtitles and dubbing broadcasts into English, aimed at making the network’s content more accessible to a global audience.
Just 22 years later, their narrative about Jews, Israel, and the West has paid off in terms of their goals and mission. I wouldn’t recommend learning everything from Al Jazeera, but after October 7, it is time for something significant to happen in this sphere. A pro-Israeli, pro-Jewish news giant should be formed or morphed out of an existing one.
Unlike Al Jazeera, this new group should focus on facts, investigative journalism, and journalism ethics. If we want the folks at the New York Times or CNN to understand the complexities of Israel and the Middle East, we need to explain it to them, not through a hasbarah video, but through actual reporting.
We at The Jerusalem Post work around the clock, 24/7, to tell Israel’s story to the world. Many of our exclusive stories have been followed up by international media outlets. But imagine if we had 70 news bureaus, thousands of journalists, and television stations in many different languages. The influence would be phenomenal. Within two decades, Israel could potentially be seen very differently worldwide.
HOW MANY Jewish billionaires and multi-millionaires have established organizations in recent years, focusing predominantly on combating antisemitism, the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement, hasbara, and other similar issues? Billions of dollars have been invested in these ventures, most of them unsuccessful, others with a medium or low impact.
What if all of these wealthy Jews would come together and create something to give Al Jazeera a fight? While these organizations have been established, many Jewish media outlets have closed down, since they haven’t found any financial strategy to keep on going.
In this war of hasbara and storytelling, Israel is still the David and the Muslim world the Goliath. As opposed to the shift in paradigms, where Israel has been seen as the “oppressor” or the more substantial group, in the world media sense, Israel is still weak and unable to get its act together.
Israel’s robust, fact-based media presence should be paramount in the current geopolitical landscape. The challenges Israel faces in effectively communicating its narrative and perspective on complex issues are significant. This is not just about countering misinformation or biased reporting, but about establishing a credible and influential voice in the global media arena.
The power of the media in shaping public opinion and international policy cannot be overstated. Al Jazeera’s rise to prominence and impact on perceptions of the Middle East demonstrate the potential of such an endeavor. Israel needs a similar platform, not for propaganda, but to ensure that its story, its challenges, and its achievements are pretty and accurately represented in the global discourse. This is not about engaging in a media arms race, but about asserting a right to be heard and understood on the world stage.
To achieve this, Israel must invest in creating a media institution that embodies journalistic integrity, ethical reporting, and a commitment to unbiased news.
This initiative should be about more than just mirroring Al Jazeera’s approach; it should set a new standard for regional international journalism.
By doing so, Israel can significantly influence the global narrative, providing insights and perspectives often overlooked or misunderstood. Such a media entity would serve Israel’s interests and contribute to a more balanced and nuanced global understanding of Middle Eastern affairs.
It is time for Israel to step up and fill this crucial gap in international media, not only for its own benefit but for the sake of a more informed and equitable global conversation about the region’s complexities and realities.