How Israel's PR controls the media (video)

Ashley Wells, Sheldon S., Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; documentary directors Sut Jhally and Bathsheba Ratzkoff (mediaed.org, IMDB.com)

Why is the U.S. public unaware of the war crimes our government (military-industrial complex) and Israel are committing even though it's in the news all day long? Careful public relations, also known as well crafted propaganda. Jahlly and Ratzkoff explain in Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land.

This video shows how the foreign policy interests of American political elites -- working in combination with Israeli public relations strategies -- influence U.S. news reporting about the Middle East conflict.

Combining American and British TV news clips with observations of analysts, journalists, and political activists, "Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land" provides a brief historical overview, a striking media comparison, and an examination of factors that have distorted U.S. media coverage and, in turn, [controlled] American public opinion.

- Exerpted from Media Education Foundation

What will it take to get the U.S. public's attention about our and Israel's crimes? Topless FEMEN protesters conduct a "Slut Walk" in Tel Aviv, May 10, 2014 calling attention to religious sexism, patriarchy, militarism, and crimes against humanity.

 

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land:

U.S. Media on Israel-Palestine

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage.
 

It focuses on the "crisis" [actually Israel's genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity] in the Middle East, zeroing in on distortions in U.S. coverage reinforce false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian problem.
 

I did what you said. - You'll get over it.

This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites -- big oil, a need to have an American military base in the region, and others -- work in combination with Israeli public relations (PR) strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from Israel is reported.

Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how -- through the use of language, framing and context -- the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied territories appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one.

Jewish-Israeli occupiers demand Muslim-Arab blood: All the U.S. gets in its mainstream media are slanted, spun, pro-Israeli images, explanations, and crafted talking points (newser.com)

 
The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.

Interviewees include Seth Ackerman, Mjr. Stav Adivi, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Hanan Ashrawi, Noam Chomsky, Robert Fisk, Neve Gordon, Toufic Haddad, Sam Husseini, Hussein Ibish, Robert Jensen, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Karen Pfeifer, Alisa Solomon, and Gila Svirsky. More

Arresting and imprisoning children 10 and older: Why is this Palestinian kid dressed in "concentration camp" garb being manhandled by a heavily armed adult Israeli militant?

• VIDEO: An Israeli  general's son tells the truth about Israel

Israel's atrocities continue and worsen (video)

Eds., Wisdom Quarterly; Amy Goodman, Juan Gonzalez, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Mohammed Omer (live from Gaza), Aaron Mate, Nermeen Shaikh (DemocracyNow.org, 7-29-14), KPFA

The "State of Israel" has two goals, exterminate Palestinians and win PR war in the U.S.

 

Overcoming the media blockade in Gaza

Amy Goodman with Denis Moynihan 

Host Amy Goodman

One of the greatest challenges in understanding the real situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories is getting reliable information. This latest assault on Gaza reaffirms the key role played by the U.S. media in maintaining the information blockade. [Our U.S. F-14 fighter planes are used by Israel in its/our bombing of Palestinian civilians manned by Israeli pilots trained by the U.S. military-industrial complex]. It also highlights the increasing importance of pressure applied by social networks.

25 x 6 mile prison, 1.8 million prisoners

With a reporter in Gaza right now (Sharif Abdel Kouddous, who took this picture of a Palestinian baby harmed by Israel now in the hospital)... Despite [another phony] U.N. Security Council call for a ceasefire, Israel has intensified its attack on Gaza and warned the world of a "protracted campaign," more war crimes against civilians justified by saying it is only trying to kill Hamas members.

Palestinian officials say they have killed more than 110 people in the past 24 hours, with some saying Monday was the most intensive night of bombing the civilian city of Gaza so far. During this time, Israel attacked more than 150 sites including Gaza’s only power station and a media center that houses the broadcasting headquarters of Hamas and a number of other Arab satellite news channels. News of what is really going on under Israeli military oppression will not be allowed to get out unless Israel controls the broadcast, the access, the PR, the message, and the spin.

• AUDIO: How Israel's propaganda machine works (July 29)

Gaza A-J America (Mohammed Salem/Reuters)

Earlier on Monday, ten people were killed, eight of which were children, and 40 others wounded by a bomb in a park near the beach in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The child victims were said to be playing on a playground swing when they were hit by Israel.

Israel, to add confusion to the chaos, denies carrying out the attack -- even though eyewitnesses said the explosion was caused by an Israeli airstrike.

Another Israeli bombing reportedly hit an outpatient building of Gaza’s main hospital, al-Shifa. Meanwhile, ten Israeli soldiers were said to have been killed on Monday. Fifty-three Israeli soldiers, two Israeli civilians, and a Thai Buddhist migrant farmworker have died since Israel's assault began.

Democracy Now! goes to Gaza City to speak with correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous. "[Israel has] shelled hospitals, U.N. schools; they’ve bombed people in their homes," Kouddous reports. "There’s literally nowhere for these people to run to." [All borders are blocked to Palestinians by Israel, who wants 1.8 million civilians hemmed in and killed by airstrikes, gunboats, ground invaders, and spies.] "Nowhere to Go": Gaza suffers one of deadliest...

 

We (U.S.) support war crimes. Israeli media control makes sure of it. See A-J U.S.

Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer: Lifting Israel's blockade isn’t a Hamas demand — it’s a human right:

Today is Eid, the feast and culmination of Ramadan, the holiest month on the Islamic calendar. But there is no opportunity to observe or celebrate it. The number of Palestinians murdered by Israel has topped 1,100 after one of the deadliest 24-hour periods since Israel began an assault on a section of Palestine/Israel called "Gaza" 22 days ago.

Most of the murdered have been civilians. More than 1 out of 10 (180,000) Palestinians have been displaced over the past three weeks. This is roughly 10 percent of the population of the Gaza Strip, an open air prison that is one of the most crowded, densely populated pieces of land in the world.

Democracy Now! is joined from Gaza City by award-winning Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer. "I believe Israel wants to make people turn against the resistance," Omer reports. "There is no way for people to turn against the resistance -- in fact it is the other way around. People in the street say we do support resistance because that is the only way to end the occupation. 

"...I’m afraid we are going to have more radical generations in the Gaza Strip, and I fear for the future of Gaza and the future of the West Bank [the two remaining parts of Israel where all indigenous Palestinians have been corralled into areas like concentration camps, refugee camps, and metropolitan prisons where Israel controls everything that goes in and comes out in addition to raining down death on civilians any time it wishes] -- and I fear the future of the region if the international community is not acting now to end the blockade and the operation in Gaza." Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer: lifting Israel's blockade...

• Jeremy Scahill: leaked U.S. "Terrorist Watchlist Rulebook"...
• Mass U.S. surveillance targeting journalists and lawyers...
• Israel intensifies assault on Gaza; Palestinian toll tops 1,100
• 8 children killed in Gaza while playing on swings
• NYC: 9 arrested in peace protest outside offices of pro-Israel group
• Ukraine clashes kill 19 civilians; US, EU to unveil sanctions on Russia
• U.S. accuses Russia of violating arms treaty
• Afghanistan: Suicide bomber kills Hashmat Karzai, the Afghan president’s cousin
• Report: Pentagon failed to track weapons sent to Afghanistan
• Syria: More than 2,000 killed in one of war’s deadliest periods
• West Africa faces deadliest ebola outbreak in history

Full "Democracy Now!" show for July 29, 2014 (democracynow.org)

Decrying "brutal operation taking place in our name," Israeli military reservists refuse to serve As Israel pledges to continue the assault on Gaza for "as long as is required," we are joined by two Israelis who have refused to serve in their country’s military reserves. On Tuesday... (July 24, 2014) 

Pressuring Israel, Presbyterian Church divests from firms tied to Israel's occupation of Palestinian land In what is being hailed as a major milestone for the global campaign to boycott and divest from Israel over its treatment of Palestinians, the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted to divest from three... (June 23, 2014) 

A war on campus? Northeastern University suspends Students for Justice in Palestine chapter The Northeastern University chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine has become the latest student group to face reprimand for organizing around the Palestinian cause. Northeastern has suspended... (March 13, 2014) 

Investigative journalist Glenn Greenwald: Edward Snowden "satisfied" by worldwide outrage over secret U.S. spying operations In this Web-only interview, Guardian columnist Glenn Greenwald reveals that he talked to NSA leaker Edward Snowden on Saturday. "He is doing very well in terms of his mindset, his demeanor," Greenwald... (July 08, 2013 blog post) 

Lawmakers threaten funding of Brooklyn College for hosting event on BDS campaign against Israel New York politicians are threatening to cut funding to Brooklyn College if the school hosts a forum Thursday night about the Palestinian-led BDS campaign to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel. (February 06, 2013)