Defending the Indefensible:

Defending the Indefensible: A Study to Measure the Success of Israel’s Hasbara During Operation Cast Lead Sam Matthews

Background & History

Public Relations & Public Diplomacy    



Robert Entman: ‘Cascade Model’ Herman & Chomsky: ‘Propaganda Model’ Nick Davies: ‘Rules of production’ Walter Lippman: Public Opinion Shaw & McCombs: ‘Agenda-setting’

Rationale & Significance ‘The Knowledge Deficit’ Norman Finkelstein + ???? = Glasgow University Media Group

Operation Cast Lead “Taking into account the ability to plan, the means to execute plans with the most developed technology available, and statements by the Israeli military that almost no errors occurred, the Mission finds that the incidents and patterns of events considered in the report are the result of deliberate planning and policy decisions.” Report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission to Gaza

Media and Hasbara during the Operation Cast Lead     

National Information Directorate Lebanon 2006 Media blackout End of the ceasefire Hasbara 2.0

Methodology Hasbara

sources

MFA IDFSU BICOM



Legal/factual framework UN Mission International Law HR Organisations

Newspapers

A. Reasons and objectives of Operation Cast Lead 30 25 20 Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

B. Details of the ceasefire 30 25 20 Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

C. Problematic discourse or terminology 35 30 25 20

Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

D. Government policy and IDF conduct 30 25 20 Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

E. Alleged links to Iran 30 25 20 Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

F. Representation & framing of Hamas 35 30 25 20

Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

G. Omission & distortion of law, fact or detail 35 30 25 20

Articles Manifestations

15 10 5 0 LT

II

IT

DT

Conclusions 200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

Hasbara Stories

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Questions