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August 01, 2006

Israeli Internet Ops

http://representativepress.blogspot....forums-on.html

The Israeli government's Foreign Ministry is involved in efforts to influence public opinion on the Internet. Israel's Foreign Ministry orders Internet propagandists, so called "trainee diplomats," to skew online polls and public forums to conform with the Israeli line. This is an organized effort, using "special 'megaphone' software," to alert "hundreds of thousands of Jewish activists" so they can manipulate Internet websites and chatrooms to conform with the slant that already permeates mainstream media.

Yonit Farago in Jerusalem reports: "Israel's Government has thrown its weight behind efforts by supporters to counter what it believes to be negative bias and a tide of pro-Arab propaganda. The Foreign Ministry has ordered trainee diplomats to track websites and chatrooms so that networks of US and European groups with hundreds of thousands of Jewish activists can place supportive messages.

In the past week nearly 5,000 members of the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS) have downloaded special "megaphone" software that alerts them to anti-Israeli chatrooms or internet polls to enable them to post contrary viewpoints. A student team in Jerusalem combs the web in a host of different languages to flag the sites so that those who have signed up can influence an opinion survey or the course of a debate.
Jonny Cline, of the international student group, said that Jewish students and youth groups with their understanding of the web environment were ideally placed to present another side to the debate.

"We're saying to these people that if Israel is being bashed, don't ignore it, change it," Mr Cline said. "A poll like CNN's takes just a few seconds to vote in, but if thousands take part the outcome will be changed. What's vital is that the international face of the conflict is balanced."

Doron Barkat, 29, in Jerusalem, spends long nights trawling the web to try to swing the debate Israel's way. "When I see internet polls for or against Israel I send out a mailing list to vote for Israel," he said. "It can be that after 15 minutes there will be 400 votes for Israel."

"It's very satisfying. There are also forums where Lebanese and Israelis talk."

Israel's Foreign Ministry must avoid direct involvement with the campaign but is in contact with international Jewish and evangelical Christian groups, distributing internet information packs.

Amir Gissin, the Israeli Foreign Ministry's public relations director, said: "The internet's become a leading tool for news, shaping the world view of millions. Our problem is the foreign media shows Lebanese suffering, but not Israeli. We're bypassing that filter by distributing pictures showing how northern Israelis suffer from Katyusha rocket attacks." - Israel backed by army of cyber-soldiers

Also see: "the mobilization of public opinion can have a real impact on policy-making, which is why the Lobby invests so much energy in suppressing discussion."

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DaddyHalbucks

No doubt. The Israelis are superb at media manipulation.

Moreover, you also have very very bad PR on the other side. The 9/11 attacks did not build good will for the Palestinian cause in the US.

After radical Muslim terrorists have attacked the US on numerous occasions, many Americans are becoming sympathetic with the Israelis. I know it has changed my views.

Good Israeli PR, and very very bad Muslim PR.. is another reason why the radical Muslims will lose the war.

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