The Israeli government is offering full and partial scholarships to university students who dedicate their time to posting Israeli propaganda on social media networks and online forums.
The program, funded by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office, will hire students to become social media warriors asked to target criticism of the occupation and its settlement enterprise, both of which have drawn international rebuke and boycotts.
A statement from Netanyahu’s office described the program as:
“A groundbreaking project aimed at strengthening Israeli national diplomacy and adapting it to changes in information consumption.”
Of course, one reason Israel’s national diplomacy needs to be “strengthened” by university students is because its leaders continue to embarrass and reject Israel’s strongest diplomatic allies.
Just this week, Israel embarrassed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry by announcing construction on over 1,000 new settlement homes just after Kerry had secured peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians.
And just to make sure the message was clear, here is how Israel’s Housing Minister framed that announcement:
“With God’s help we will continue building all the land of Israel and Jerusalem the capital. It must be made clear that this is only the beginning. This melody can’t be stopped.”
Rather than rein in such ‘Greater Israel’ tendencies which a) make the two-state solution a Sisyphean task, and b) continuously embarrass Israel’s most important allies, Netanyahu’s plan is instead to hire students who will attempt to counteract the inevitable and growing critiques against Israel’s civil and human rights abuses.
This program exists because Netanyahu, and a majority of Israeli politicians, have no real interest in ending its illegal settlement enterprise and the occupation of the Palestinian Territories. It has no interest in backing off those policies which generate the types of critiques these students will be charged with counteracting.
This much was made clear when, after the European Union announced an effective settlement boycott, Israel responded by freezing cooperation with EU-funded humanitarian aid projects and by suspending all new programs with the EU.
Europe called upon Israel to reconsider the self-destructive road down which it has chosen to travel.
Israel called university students in for interviews.
Follow David Harris-Gershon on Twitter @David_EHG
Nope. The “Occupation” is not why people criticize Israel. People criticize Israel because of its very existence. Long before there was ever any occupation, before 1967, the exact same language was used against Israel as today. Even today Arabs and Western Israel-haters refer to any Jew within the 1967 borders as a “settler”. Try again.
It is certainly true for me that the occupation and other similar actions cause my dislike of Israel (but not Israelis). I am no Jew hater, nor Israel hater, at least not for the intrinsic existence of the country. But I despise the treatment of the Palestinians and the continual takeover of their land. Israel acts towards others the same way the US (my country) acts towards others and their lands. As if we have the right because we have the might. This is unacceptable from either country. I really see no reason that, in both cases, money spent on militarization could not be better spent on humanitarian and peaceful projects to bring more food, water, and shelter to all. I think, had the US, for example, instead of spending the trillions on the wars, used even a quarter of that money to help people in the Middle East, we would have access to the oil, which is why we are there, and we would not have left such a wasteland, nor would we have created the enmity. The same holds for Israel.
When will those in power finally see that we can get more cooperation and peace through peaceful means, that war only engenders war?
Dear SFC, Such a totally absurd comment. You’ll never get a job on Netahyahu’s propaganda social-network team with such hyperbole. Try for more subtlety — then submit your resume.
I know this si difficult. You didn’t lie my idea for peace, but yo might lie this much less. Look at what is happening in Syria and now Egypt. Why look, because every movement and political dynamic toes together. I can see the Fatah and Hamas fighting it out over how to define an agreement with Israel, and the closer an agreement gets, the more likely violent opposition will erupt, I know thinks look dofferent through the rose color glasses of Berkley.
Rick:
Are you seriously trying to claim that all of this Jew hatred that permeates the Middle East, and did so long before 1967, is due to the “occupation”? Take a look at some examples: http://www.thememriblog.org/antisemitism
Did the people who would later take the name “Palestinians” join forces with Hitler in the late 30s and early 40s because of the “occupation”?
Did a Saudi Newspaper declare in 1960 “ARREST OF EICHMANN, WHO HAD THE HONOR OF KILLING 6 MILLION JEWS” because of the “occupation”?
Dear SFC, Yes s-o-m-e Arabs still want to push Israel back into the sea. As long as you’re going to focus on them, you’ll always find justification for your self-righteousness and, sorry, paranoia. I daresay if Israel would stop trying to colonize the West Bank with settlements and sincerely engage in proactively trying to create a viable, economically-progressive, democratic Palestine, those few in the Arab world would shrivel. Today polls say 75-80% of West Bank Palestinians would be happy with their own country in the 67 borders. Unfortunately the religious and zionist right-wing Jews of Israel control the settlements policy (you must know that), with their stated goal: no Palestinian state, ever.
That’s the REAL issue and block to mideast peace. Today. Work on changing that, not getting wrapped up in absurdities like 1960 Saudi newspapers. Be bigger than the idiots like Ahmadinejad — ignore them. I’m sure it’s difficult, but work to prevent their reactivating that classic Jewish persecution complex. Trust that working to give Palestinians their dignity and nationhood is so right, eventually all will fall into place.
{I’m willing to bet that you’ll just dismiss me as being hopelessly naive — all victim-based thinking Always finds a wolf at the door — but I do know that along with Netanyahu’s settlement policies, fear-based thinking never gets you anywhere, except deeper in a hole}
It’s hard to ignore the 25% when they have rockets and lie to wrap themselves in explosives. Your thoughts? Most Israelis want to dece land BUT they also view security within the birders as a priority. This is not paranoia, it’s reality.
Dear SLR and Sid,
I’ve just realized I’ve not helped this – or you – with my reflections. I shouldn’t have taken that tack. My sincere apologies.
I do see you both as coming from a victim and fear place – almost a knee-jerk response – history has done this to the Jews, and so your reaction is human, instinctive. Many Jews have this Israel must be supported no matter what or it’s our end attitude – and muster and select (or deny) whatever facts are necessary to maintain that ‘survival’ stance, keeping one hopelessly and unhappily busy interpreting everyday’s events to prove your belief system.
I see you both stuck, sadly, to be honest. Holding onto your beliefs and worldviews – and ultimately that deep fear that you can’t give an inch or ruination will occur – must be very hard on your lives. It produces, besides fear and paranoia…hate and distrust — and must surely be eating you alive from within. It’s hard being happy, living freely, expansively, joyously when that sort of psychological orientation is calling the shots. Do you see how much less happiness in life you have than others….drained by this focus?
How I wish for your sake – for Israel’s sake — for the poor Palestinians sake (do you have any real compassion for their horrid plight?) — someone could heal this, help move you from fear to caring and expansiveness….help you start working to help the Palestinians (find an Israeli Arab and befriend him), let go of this strident belief in and support for Israel-no-matter-what and start working to stop the illegal settlements. Maybe that’s too much to ask.
But I wish you good luck in becoming more open, more trusting, rather than fearing, hating, and worrying, as a basis for life — and becoming happier.
Rick:
I will assume you are sincere in your stance that you care for both Israel and the “Palestinians”, and seek a just outcome for both. The problem is that even if you are sincere in this, the people who you are allying yourself with aren’t. You only have to watch a few seconds of Arab media, or read the literature of groups such as BDS, to see that they speak of such things as “liberating” Jaffa and Safed, constantly deny Jewish peoplehood, and engage in every other defamation to demonstrate that they have no interest in a just two state settlement of the conflict. This is the side you are allied with, whether you recognize it or not.
As for compassion for the “Palestinians”, they are no doubt in a bad situation. However, there are myriad other groups in the world who are suffering much more and don’t have the benefit of decades of UNRWA hand-outs or a legion of supporters across the Islamic world the West. Unlike the “Palestinians”, these other groups, such as the Tibetans, Kurds, marsh Arabs, political dissidents in Zimbabwe, and dozens of others that I could mention, are actually the victims of genocide and culturecide, and did not put themselves in that position by backing the Nazis and refusing for decades to come to a peaceful settlement like the “Palestinians” did. Rather they are actually innocent victims, in the true sense of the world. So after their terrible situations are resolved, I may have some compassion left over for the “Palestinians” who execute gay people and practice honor killings, and whose present predicament was entirely avoidable had they decided to pursue the path of peace anytime between 1947 and 1967.
The West Bank was under the control of Jordan and Gaza under the control of Egypt for 19 years and there was no thought of turning that land into a Palestinian state. Those are precisely the territories demanded fro Israel now.
Why are the refugee camps all over the Middle East, They are no longer camps. They have been turned into person by host countries. One can only leave for work and return at night.Are the being held in place top resettle into pre-67 Israel
Dear SLC and Sid,
I was hoping I might have opened your hearts and minds just a smidge. I fear I’ve failed. It seems no matter what I say, what approach is offered, Palestine is wrong (always some factoid to prove that) and Israel is right.
Putting Palestinians in “quotes” says a ton, actually….a delegitimizing of them as a people and future nation possibility, and (I sense, along with the hey there are worse-off groups – look why they deserve their plight attitude) an excuse to wash your hands of the whole thing and just support Israel’s policies all the more.
That s-o-m-e may have supported Hitler, for either stupid or political reasons should have absolutely no bearing on anything. They’re all dead now anyway. It only serves to reveal that you’ll romance whatever facts you discover to justify your rather hardened political and psychological framework. Is it impossible to say: Hey now it’s 2013; here are the facts Today; what can I do to create a respectful and caring relationship with all these neighbors. That, again, s-o-m-e in the Arab world still preach hatred of the Jews (more Israel than Jews) might induce one to say what can I do to make them hate me the less (like stopping settlements; funding Isr Arab schools equally with Jewish schools; opposing water policies that give the 20% of Jews in settlements 80% of the West Bank’s water, etc.). Most people respond positively to loving kindness — are either of you doing anything in that arena, or just furthering the divisions.
What has always surprised and saddened me is the most is the typical human response of being hurt and then wanting to hurt back (others) the more. Jews have unfortunately, throughout history, been unfortunate victims. Some – but far too few – Jews feel that pain and work to lessen it in others wherever possible (and Palestine is the nearest, best opportunity). Sadly, too few Jews take this approach; most fall into the New Jew mentality of “reverse victimhood”…always needing to be top dog and oblivious and insensitive to what that means to all those who aren’t. The “look at how fucked they are/how good we are” interpreting of All facts (blindness and denial of what Isr does that is wrong included) is only one manifestation of that.
Again, my suggestion and hope: do something that Improves the Palestinian plight (befriend an Arab – see his humanity!…donate to one of their social causes you agree with, like planting olive trees); it may just reduce their anti-Jewish/Israel rage and stupidity; it’ll certainly help the cause of peace.
Thanks for lecturing Jews on what they have todo to build trust with Palestinians. Now what do Palestinians have to do. If you talk to Israelis who lived through 2nd intifada, they will express their mistrust of Palestinian intentions. That episode caused a whole lot of recent hurt on Israelis
It must be nice to lecture Israelis form the safety of your US home. .
I give up Sid. You’re just too hopelessly stuck in (and I think in love with) your bitter self-righteousness to ever make any positive change. Over and out.
I always thought that positive change comes from 2 sides of the table, not just one. You seem demand it from one side.