Israel has an ongoing problem. It’s PR (public relations). Most of the actions taken by that country to protect its people, and Jews elsewhere in the world, have been disastrous for their reputation. The outstanding events that most people thought were good are 1) the war in 1948 (when it actually happened), 2) the Six Day War (when it actually happened), 3) the rescue of Black Jews from Ethiopia, 4) the two bombing raids that destroyed potential nuclear bomb facilities in Iran and Syria, and 5) the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan.
Everything else that Israel has done or not done has been a public relations disaster. Even Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip did not earn that nation any applause. Last month’s announcement of new Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem while VP Biden was visiting was an astonishing faux pas.
So it comes as no surprise that the stopping of a flotilla of ships destined for Gaza would be another bad PR event. There is no way to ascertain the truth about Israel’s action on the Mediterranean Sea. The news media will make this a really big deal (and it is to the families that lost loved ones).
The answer to Israel’s dilemma is obvious to me. They need to hire some PR professionals. Had they been on the payroll before the flotilla event the news media would have a different take on the events that happened at sea.
It’s difficult for me to comprehend that Israel’s leadership does not understand their need for good PR. Many of their government leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, were educated in the United States.
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