Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Visit to Washington, D.C. Is a Plea for Dramatic Changes In Israel's Strategic Communications: A Call for Clarity, Action
This is advice for Benjamin Netanyahu.
Not easy because the Israelis in general and Bibi in particular don’t take advice easily.
As an introduction in the aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023, it became glaringly obvious that when adversaries act in bad faith, their advantage in communication is significant.
Their conviction, despite a lack of factual basis, allows them to convey their message with confidence and charisma. Watch the smirks and shaking heads of those who, with righteous indignation, label Israel a Nazi genocidal state.
Conversely, those who hold the truth justifiably want to present it because objective facts and objective truth do exist.
And there lies the problem.
The presentation of complex and nuanced facts demand time and attention and also a certain dose of good faith to be appreciated.
The Israeli government has repeatedly erred by playing defense and attempting to explain why Israel is not guilty of accusations of genocide, apartheid, and colonialism.
Complex historical explanations often fall flat against simple, emotive slogans.
Israel can actually learn some strategies from its adversaries.
First Israelis should stop lamenting and second, an extension of the first and quoted from the words of Queen Elizabeth II, is:
"Don’t complain, Don’t explain."
It's essential therefore to present repeatedly a simple message: Instead of constantly defending against accusations and trying to prove that anti-Zionism equates to anti-Semitism, Israel should present a clear choice to the global community:
Peace or War.
It’s up to you.
Israel should propose to follow through and cooperate with international organizations that have been primarily insisting upon Israel stopping the war if the following principles are adopted that are aimed at establishing a diplomatic and political foundation for peace.
These principles do not take sides, and except for the last point, do not even mention the Israeli Palestinian conflict:
1. Condemnation of Attacks on Civilians
We firmly condemn any attack against civilians, as well as any missile attack that indiscriminately targets civilians. Such actions are against the laws of war and the founding principles of the United Nations.
2. Condemnation On Hostage Taking.
We firmly condemn attacks aimed at killing or injuring civilians and taking hostages seriously compromise the cause for which these actions were committed.
Hostage-taking is not only against the laws of war and the founding principles of the United Nations, but it also endangers the citizens of the group that initiated the action.
3. Aid for Gazans Without Hamas:
We firmly insist that support for the construction or aid for helping Gazans without involving Hamas. Efforts must be made to ensure this organization no longer receives financial aid, especially when it is used for building missiles.
These principles should be adopted by the United Nations, the European Union, and the Arab League.
Israel must shift to a proactive communication strategy.
The support of the international community based on agreed rules consistent with international law means that Israel does not have to consider that it stand alone.
With countries continually playing to appease their populations by using Israel Palestine as a battle cry to the point of asking that Israel be boycotted from the Paris Olympics, Israel, like any other country, will be left with no choice but to consider that only the military can solve its problems.
Netanyahu in Washington before the Congress will emphasize the importance of the shared goals between Israel and the United States.
But his visit provides an opportunity to ask the United States to do something that is unusual and that should mollify the progressive Democrats some of whom are boycotting the speech.
As a matter of policy accept that the international legal and political environment that now exists is not propitious for a fair minded peace that can lead to international cooperation in the resolution of the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
The world that will have to bear responsibility for the choice that it will make: Peace or War.
Mark L. Cohen has his own legal practice, and was counsel at White & Case starting in 2001, after serving as international lawyer and senior legal consultant for the French aluminum producer Pechiney. Cohen was a senior consultant at a Ford Foundation Commission, an advisor to the PBS television program "The Advocates," and Assistant Attorney General in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He teaches U.S. history at the business school in Lille l'EDHEC. Read Mark L. Cohen's Reports — More Here.
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