Oh my goodness - Yair is, unfortunately, 100% right regarding our appalling "hasbara" and PR generally. I'm a British/Israeli journalist and have lived in Israel 35 years......I bemoan our slow-to-respond attitude, although there have, over the years, been improvements sometimes. What has happened since Monday has been an embarrassing disaster: Mark Regev; Avital and Miri cannot be everywhere...where are others who can speak English and put our "case" in as articulate a way as our (many) enemies....... We have damaged our image world-wide and more pressure to "stop the blockade"; "help the poor Gazans"...even more UN censure will surely result........why doesn't my country learn lessons from previous "screw-ups"?.........I am but one of thousands of frustrated Israelis, trying damage control in sending positive truth world-wide.....but I am not the Minister of Information.......unfortunately!

You both misunderstood and were eager to attack and accuse What he meant was to show the hundreds of missiles which were indeed taken the last time in order to impress upon people the importance of searching the new ship because that is what we expect based on previous experience. He did not intend to for evidence to be fabricated. this remains in the realm of Islam. They are perfectionists in this area.

the flotilla's cargo would mean implying that these rockets came from the flotilla. All these ideas apart from being pure propaganda focuses only on the PR, as if there is no problem with Israel's police over Gaza. And no, not everybody criticising Israel's policy is antisemitic or against Israel in general. Goverments all over the world have the same tune: everyone criticing a goverment or a goverment's specific policy or aftion is accused of being against the "national interest".

right on target on everything, except lieberman. he's one of israel's best spokesmen and his negative pr value comes from ha'aretz editors who start foaming at the mouth at the mention of his name. negative pr or not, he's one of the few israeli politicians that are trying to change the failed cognitive framing inherited from previous administrations (the "land for peace" stuff that got israel into the current predicament in the first place). that alone is of huge importance to israel and it's pr. metaphors matter, and lieberman is trying to change the language with which israel loses regardless of pr. awesome idea about the missile show. i hope gov't officials read it.

I knew our PR was really bad - but this is totally incomprehensible. (Words really can't say how disgusting this is -assuming Yair has his facts right, which he probably does).

Yair Lapid's assessment of the "quality" (read not) of Israeli PR is on the mark. But why wait for an invitation? There are plenty want and are able to tell that story and many many more who want to hear it

B"H It was Barak who sent the solders down the rope armed with toy paintball guns, it was Barak's ministry's operation, it is him who is responsable on the political level. Why don't you have it with Barak?

IT'S ALL GOD'S WILL. WE CAN'T CHANGE THE ANTI-SEMITISM, ANTI ISRAEL. WE CAN ONLY DO TESHUVA AND MITZVOT AND LOVE GOD ABOVE.

We have some brilliant minds in Israel, capable of selling milk to a cow... unfortunately, it's not the lack of experience that's our problem, but rather lack of understanding as to the need of good PR. Like all good Israelis, our leaders seem to think that so long as I can justify what's happening, everything is good, and so long as what's happening is right by me, it doesn't matter what everyone thinks... Sadly, this won't take us very far.

About time an article like this was written - well done! It is both pathetic and scandalous that there is no one competent in charge of our pr - obviously in light of recent events! Many of us are absolutely at a loss to understand it... Get someone in there who knows what he/she is doing - please!!

You hit nail right on the head. PR-disaster.

this calls fo a special session of the Kneset . The sooner the better! Most urgent!

opinion is not clear. If you say that some action is stupid you should say what would have been "clever". Calling someone a fool without showing how wise you are - is very stupid.

referring to blockades you would know that Israel or Egypt do not need the approval of the UN as they are both entitled to defend their states agains their enemies. But facts never bothered people like you.

...they wouldn't speak to us. Contrary to the last writer's opinion, this is totally a PR issue. That's the point: Most people don't understand that PR consultants are brought into decision-making sessions before, not after a decision is going to be made. That's what Obama does. He gets it. The Israeli government is, sadly, still asleep at the wheel. They've consistently rebuffed offers to assist by those of us living in Israel who are in the international PR arena. But no, they always know better -- if they even bother to answer their phones. Usual response: Their secretaries ask for a fax which they later claim they never received or worse, when they hear English they hang up in fright. News flash: English is the voice of the international PR and media arena.

I saw Yuli Edelstein on PBS’s Charlie Rose show and feel he did a decent job even though Rose had stacked the panel with Israel-critical guests. This is not uncommon with some US and most BBC multi guest panel TV interview shows. So even the most adept spokesman is up against a significant force, I doubt Mr. Lapid could have taken the heat Mr. Yuli Edelstein did. To be honest these shows don’t require some slick PR man, but rather an honest straight forward genuine individual which I think Yuli was on Charlie Rose. It’s important to note that Mr. Edelstein had to cover his rear since Israeli reporter Aluf Benn from Haaretz was on the panel and very critical of the Israeli operation. How do you defend your country when your own countrymen are snipping at you? This behavior is unheard of elsewhere in the world.

To#4 I would rather vote for a man of vision,who first of all focus on our soldiers safety,which should have had the right to shoot if attacked.Iwould never ever vote for a Pr who first of all focus on world s opinion.Yair does not say a word of the suffering of our welbeloved heroes.I do not think he is the man we need as Pr.

At last waking up to the fact that (1) their PR is absolutely abysmal and has been for years, demoralising those of us who are fighting our own isolated battle against a sea of hostile lies in the west, and (2) this PR battle is critically important as western governments are influenced by shallow news reports and their easily led populus much more than they are by reason or facts on the ground.

The world press and specially Arab ones tell us of the great and powerful propaganda and PR machine of Israel.It,s about time we asked them where exactly are they to be found,we seem to have lost them

I just hope those who needs most to read it, will take action into transforming our PR into a professional one finally! This is the most important war to win these days...unfortunately...we are far behind.

does he has backround in political world? this is kind of hypocrasi!

Decades of Israeli leftist political correctness has resulted in weakening the nation's resolve. The world will never LOVE a country of Jews, however, it will respect Israel when Israelis (and Jews everywhere) are strong, and unified, and hold up their heads high.

It is bad PR through and through. Much can be alleviated with a proper PR. Much can't but at least the current anti-Israel sentiment can begin to be turned around. Personally I'd love to try my hand at it - question is where to start?

If the nature of the blockade was simply a military arms blockade together with a security fence this whole episode never would have occurred. The Gaza blockade also limits food ,water ,construction materials, medicine, fuel and electric power. Israel is clearly a violating article 33 of the Geneva Convention under the defined term collective punishment and the UN has stated this in resolutions. The Israeli policy with respect to food is to allow the minimum sustenance required without causing a humanitarian disaster. Thirty one thousand chickens were bulldozed in operation Cast Lead and Gaza's underground aquifer was left 95% tainted by bombs. 100,000 Gazan's were left homeless in Cast Lead.No amount of PR can defend that kind of behavior.

Goebbels couldn't have put it better!

from any where but with the right foot

mr. hykle said it is war of ideas i think he is right so pr. need a base a strong base a real one