2009-01-07

Palestine needs a Gandhi, Murdoch and a good Ad Agency

Israel invades Palestine and the whole world watches. 75% of the country plunges in to darkness – there is no electricity, no running water and there is no medicine. Tanks roll in, screams of agony fill the air, silencing the Israeli air attacks. Blood splatters paint the landscape while the tears of women and children soak the land. No one sees and no one hears the cries for help. No one seems to hear the screams of pain. There are hundreds of innocent Palestine civilians killed everyday, but no one cares.

The World is quiet. The World is gone deaf and it’s gone blind. Deep within, it knows the bitter truth, but no-one utters a single word against Israel and it’s atrocities. In the heartland of the Arab World – Saudi Arabia – life goes on as usual and no one bothers. Sydney protests, Riyadh doesn’t. Wonder why?

Why Not?

“This is not an aggression or an invasion; this is democracy defeating terrorism. This is “peace-loving” Israel liberating innocent Palestine civilians from the grips of terror. This is Israel helping Palestine. This is Israel neutralising terror that ruins the peaceful daily life of Palestine and Israel. This is the beginning of the end of horror and violence.” Mark Regev tells the world on Al Jazeera and the world believes...

Israeli PR machinery has bent the world opinion and Tzipi Livni has charmed Hosny Mubarak.

I have always admired the Israelis in the PR Tactics, but this is a classic lesson in pure-and-simple Media Manipulation. Brain-washing the world, at its best. With careful scheming and manipulation, Israel has always preconditioned the world opinion to accept every forthcoming aggression – and they have always successfully managed to project themselves as the good-guys.

The World Opinion matters, and Palestinians should learn from the Israelis. Palestine – which is getting raped in its own bedroom while the parents are watching – needs to grow up and fight the war, Israeli style.

They need to win the fight.

Palestine, which is the rightful owner of the territory, is presented to the world by the Jewish PR Machine as a primitive, barbaric, stone-age community ruled by a group of terrorists that disturb the world peace. This image needs to be changed, and the change must begin now. Palestine should capitalise on its wealthy “refugees” who are running some successful businesses around the world, they must begin to fight the media battle. Average Palestinians should do what the average Jews do – invade the digital frontier – Facebook, flickr and Blogger style.

Change the perception, and the world will be on your side.

Palestine has one strength that Israel doesn’t possess: resilience. But they lack the most important ingredient: strategy.

Palestine needs a good advertising agency on their side. To define the brand (starting from, err, is Palestine a country?), to set the objectives and to come up with a strategy and a communication plan that includes important lessons learnt from Israel.

They need to believe in the power of PR and Advertising. They need to believe that the ‘image’ is everything.

They need to push Hamas to the back-seat – if not out of the car altogether – and get a Gandhi in the driving seat. They need a Rupert Murdoch to build the image and get the world on their side – so that they could fight their fight, fair and square – and dream of a free Palestine.

3 comments:

  1. Very true, they were never good at it and the Israeli's now have a huge head start.

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  2. true, but who ever really gets a shot at fighting fair anyway?

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  3. true in deed! guess perception really matters and its universal to many things....

    sometimes its not the truth that matters the most,its how you bend the perception of the people to your benefit...guess Israel is doing a good job in that department..

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