“It is up to you to be our soldiers abroad” – says Miriam Adelson to a conference of starry-eyed young Jews at the annual Taglit Birthright convention in Jerusalem – “swaying public opinion in Israel’s favour.” This speech from the film Israelism, which chronicles the culture of unwavering support for Israel in much of the American Jewish community, fittingly captures how Zionists are educated on Israel: a religious duty to unconditionally advocate for the self-proclaimed Jewish state.
Hasbara, literally meaning “explanation”, but more accurately “propaganda”, describes Israel’s particular style of public relations, which aims to shape its perception abroad. Unlike other foreign disinformation campaigns, for instance Russia’s use of online bots, Hasbara isn’t a covert misinformation campaign. It can’t be traced back to one person or organization; rather it’s part and parcel of pro-Israelism itself. The people spreading it, from government ministers to American mothers, are genuine believers in the cause. They see showing the morality of Israel’s case as a way to fight the war for public opinion. …..more
