Israel’s US spin doctors

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While Israeli soldiers continue to clash with Palestinians in the Middle East, Israel is also waging a war on another front, nearly 6,000 miles away: the war for American public opinion. And Israel has found American public relations firms to be valuable allies in their efforts.

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Some American PR gurus have gone so far as to help Israel for no charge, BRILL’S CONTENT reports. In October, an Israeli consul general met with 12 high-profile spin doctors who offered free advice on how the nation could avoid looking like a vicious Goliath opposite the Palestinians’ innocent David. Among their suggestions: equipping soldiers with video cameras to document rock-throwing and armed Palestinians in the heat of battle.

Palestinian officials say Israel’s public relations efforts have succeeded in solidifying US political support and preventing the international community from becoming actively involved in the Middle East conflict.

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We just keep seeing it happen: Newsrooms owned by billionaires and corporations are spinning their own narratives, overwriting the truth, following only stories that keep them in the pocket of those with even more power.

Not here. We’re not owned by anyone. We’re not part of any cult that demands our allegiance to a bottom line. We’ve spoken up and spoken out while other newsrooms changed their stories—or cut them altogether—to keep the C suite happy.

Our mission is to find the truth and amplify it. That’s why we’re independent, nonprofit, and, crucially, funded by readers. The investigations on our website will always be free to read, watch, and listen to, but our newsroom is powered by readers who pitch in what they can so we can keep asking the hard questions.

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