The opinion that Jewish homes are an obstacle to peace is because of a refusal to acknowledge the rights of Jews to the land that their ancestors lived in.

There is only one measure of success- Are world perceptions benefiting or harming us and there is no question that our image is lousy. We pay for it in blood and most people here don't get it. We can through our hands up in the air, say that nobody listens to Jews anyway, that only armies are important, who cares what the world thinks anyway etc, etc. OR we can look at what we are doing wrong and change.

If Islamists have managed to convince the world that we are Colonialists who are victimizing them and "forcing" them to. in desperation. commit acts of terror, that we (Israel) are the only real obstacle to peace, that terrorists become moderates we can trust and negotiate with in a snap of the fingers and and that our evil soldiers love to kill Arab babies, clearly we can do better.

Hasbara is not the answer. The word means "explain" which is what we do. We react rather than attack and you never win from behind. Specific steps we need to take is a large topic , but we cannot begin to succeed until we stop being obstinate and defensive & admit we have a problem. Until then, our enemies will continue to define us.

The co-director of Molad is so fixated on living in Israel, presumably to suggest that one who does is better able to weigh in on Israel's public image, yet Molad is conveniently funded nearly entirely by people and interests that "live" out of Israel. In fact, the only known major Israeli funder of Molad is the New Israel Fund, often referred to as a leftist extremist group. Molad is funded by people who, “do not live in Israel.” Molad receives funds from Skoll Global Threats Fund (which Molad removed from its website in early July 2012 after inquiries into its funding were made), and according to Israel's Ha'Aretz, it is funded by "left-liberal foundations and groups from the U.S. associated with the Democratic party." ” Molad is also funded by the EU-funded Anna Lindh Foundation. They will not disclose their other funders.

The far leftist viewpoints of Molad – that settlements are the problem in the Middle East – have little representation in Israel. That particular myth was also debunked in the left-leaning Washington Post, which carried a January 1, 2013 editorial stating the real facts of the settlement issue. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/israeli-settlement-proposals-prompt-rash-rhetoric/2013/01/01/2d6aea54-504f-11e2-8b49-64675006147f_story.html)

To his point, Torossian's comments referred to public relations – something he does know about as Founder of a successful American PR firm – 5W Public Relations, where I also work. On the other hand, Molad does not know public relations, and judging from the research it conducts, it either may not be that adept at it, or it may not be telling you all of the results. Under the guise of a research document, Molad shows that Israel spends time on PR, which no one disputes. They make no attempt to show how, or if those very PR efforts are effective.

What it certainly does not demonstrate is how the settlements are the reason for Israel’s bad media. If Molad were to be objective, it would tell the public what it is. Molad: The Center for the Renewal of Democracy is a radical, extremist organization compromised of leaders from organizations such as Breaking the Silence and the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement (SJSM); leftist extremists.

The founder of Molad, Avraham Burg was rejected by the Israeli electorate, rejected at home in a democratic process. So now, with foreign funding, he advances his personal agenda attacking Israeli democracy at every stop. Burg writes of “winds of isolation and narrowness” and “democracy-eliding fear” as he travels the world demonizing Israel in a world that is already inclined to deem Israel the demon without any assistance from Burg.

Molad continues pretending to be a think-tank, while its flawed research, subjective opinions, and funding from mysterious foreign sources makes its mission quite clear. It may know the streets of Israel better than those outside, but it does not know public relations.

Lenin called those who work against their own people’s best interests in support of their enemies “helpful idiots.” Molad can be the very definition.

Another small point here. If Molad, despite its claimed professionalism (by itself , of course) is perceived as being a Leftist orientated, Leftist funded hack organization despite all efforts in presenting it otherwise, then there is something wrong with the product and not just the packaging.

In this whole hasbara effectiveness argument is missing the long range influence of the Arab oil wealth on internatiional foreign relations, including the desires of governments to increase trade with the Arab countries and the massive funding by Arab countries in Middle East departments in universites all over the Western world. In short, Israel has a huge task in front of her in getting positive market exposure at universites and in the Press partly because the resources to counter Arab messaging are limited. Throw in (though I'd rather throw out) the Jewish elements in the New Left that inherently dislike the religious and nationalistic aspects of Israel (as the Jewish National homeland) and you have quite a toxic mix.

Israel's "Hasbara" might be quite fine and working well, and Israel may not be as successful in selling herself despite that. That doesn't mean the policies are wrong but rather that not all "truths" are an easy sell. The answer is always just to keep on trying and thriving. As that funny man once said " what is important is not what the goyim say, but rather what the Jews do". SInce then we have gotten quite far and it seems a shame to throw out a winning formula in order to get a better image.

Another small point here. If Molad, despite its claimed professionalism (by itself , of course) is perceived as being a Leftist orientated, Leftist funded hack organization despite all efforts in presenting it otherwise, then there is something wrong with the product and not just the packaging.

In this whole hasbara effectiveness argument is missing the long range influence of the Arab oil wealth on internatiional foreign relations, including the desires of governments to increase trade with the Arab countries and the massive funding by Arab countries in Middle East departments in universites all over the Western world. In short, Israel has a huge task in front of her in getting positive market exposure at universites and in the Press partly because the resources to counter Arab messaging are limited. Throw in (though I'd rather throw out) the Jewish elements in the New Left that inherently dislike the religious and nationalistic aspects of Israel (as the Jewish National homeland) and you have quite a toxic mix.

Israel's "Hasbara" might be quite fine and working well, and Israel may not be as successful in selling herself despite that. That doesn't mean the policies are wrong but rather that not all "truths" are an easy sell. The answer is always just to keep on trying and thriving. As that funny man once said " what is important is not what the goyim say, but rather what the Jews do". SInce then we have gotten quite far and it seems a shame to throw out a winning formula in order to get a better image.