The Blogs: We are losing the PR war and we need help

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Over the last few days I, and so many other Israelis, have been asked to give updates about what’s going on here. Every day I think about what to post on Facebook, what to respond to the constant messages.

I could tell them about how for the second night in a row, I had to wake up my children and rush them to the bomb shelter in the middle of the night, leaving us all tired and cranky today.

I could tell them about how my children, along with so many others across Israel were not allowed to go to school again today. This after months of not going into school due to Covid — they’re back on Zoom again. Not because of physical disease but terror.

I could tell them about the civil war being waged within Israel in major cities like Lod, Ramla, Acco where Jews and Arabs have lived side by side for years and which are now engulfed in flames and destruction.

I could try to tell them about the actual facts of the Sheikh Jarrah/Shimon Hatzadik case — a real, legitimate legal battle that has been being waged for years — that they are likely only seeing lies about on mainstream and social media instead of the truth. (For more information on this, see here).

I could try to tell them about what actually happened on the Temple Mount on Yom Yerushalayim. How the Arabs “praying” there were using the Mount to stage attacks on Jews, throwing rocks at them and organizing riots and the police had to go and stop them. How Jews were not allowed onto the Temple Mount at all that day in an unsuccessful effort to calm already building tensions. How the Arabs set off fireworks on their “third holiest site” and wound up setting a tree on fire while Jews celebrated Yom Yerushalayim at the Kotel.

Of course, I can tell them all about the twists and spin being reported about deaths in Gaza and how when the media reports deaths in Gaza they neglect to inform you that many of those who are dead are either 1. terrorists, 2. terrorist supporters, 3. Gazans who died from Hamas rockets that exploded within Gaza, 4. Gazans who died because Hamas bases themselves in schools and hospitals and residential apartment buildings in an attempt to use citizens as human shields against retaliation. While Israel does everything they can to protect their citizens, Hamas does everything they can to put their citizens in harm’s way.

I can tell them about how Israel does everything they can to prevent civilian casualties by warning Gaza about when and where they’re going to strike and asking civilians to leave the area (seriously, what country does that?)

There is so much I could tell them all, too much to write in a single post or WhatsApp message. So instead of telling them and you about all of this, I would like to make a request — especially of those who don’t live in Israel.

I, along with many of my friends here in Israel, have gotten messages from our friends and family around the world telling us that they are thinking of us and asking what, if anything they can do to help. Well, we thankfully have an incredible army that can take care of our defense needs. What we don’t have an army to protect us against is the lies and misinformation that is being spread all over the world on social and main stream media platforms about Israel. The news, the influencers, the celebrities and politicians — they are all promoting the lies and spin that Hamas and the PA are putting out. And all of them have millions of followers between them who are sharing all of this garbage. While I have every confidence that we will succeed in deterring Hamas (and we must – we will not cave and agree to a ceasefire that will not be respected without first achieving our military objectives to bring peace and quiet back to our country), I am very worried about our prospects in the PR war being waged on us.

There are some who have tried to stand up for Israel and our right to defend ourselves. And those people are viciously attacked. Those who speak out against Israel on the other hand are applauded. The spread of misinformation in the days of social media is fast — lightning speed. And the damage is astronomical. Seeing people all over the media supporting those who wish to kill you and send rockets to destroy you is hurtful and damaging. It also incentivizes the forces of terror to continue using their dangerous tactics. They are made to believe that the world is on their side and believes their lies. And so they will continue the terror and the rockets and the lies to the world.

I know it’s not easy but please, stand up and support us. Correct people who spread lies about the actual facts on the ground in Israel. Thank those who do speak out in support of Israel. If you don’t know the facts follow the Israeli media or balanced news sites or sites like HonestReporting who work to expose the lies and misinformation and provide the real facts about Israel.

Don’t misunderstand, the physical battle is scary and hard and intense. But the PR battle is just as scary and intense. The only way we can win that is by more and more people standing up for what’s right and supporting Israel.

Speak up, speak out and stand with Israel!