5 aug 2019
Israel boasted that it prevented these boots from being smuggled into Gaza for “terrorist purposes.”
Most of the tweets posted by COGAT, the bureaucratic arm of Israel’s military occupation, are frankly ridiculous.
Their Twitter posts attempt to portray Israeli soldiers controlling the movement of millions of Palestinians as benevolent humanitarians providing accommodation to travelers: all tweets
A video recently tweeted by COGAT features a soldier belonging to the Druze religious minority describing the segregated H2 area of Hebron, site of the infamous Ibrahimi mosque massacre, as a bastion of coexistence:
Most of COGAT’s bland English-language tweets disappear into the Internet ether, lacking resonance, sophistication and quality. Crude propaganda and outright threats undermine the humanitarian image the military body is trying to project.
Wave of mockery
But last week, two of COGAT’s tweets unleashed a wave of mockery.
One of the tweets features a photo of a man holding three lace-up hiking boots. COGAT states that the shoes “were hidden in a shipment of civilian goods, in an attempt to smuggle them into Gaza for terrorist purposes”:
The other tweet shows the shoes on the ground in front of boxes and a shipping palette.
“This is another miserable and failed attempt by terrorist groups in Gaza to hide behind the civilian population, without taking into account how it endangers the economy and trade,” COGAT states.
“The more these attempts continue, the more security and stability are compromised.”
The tweets received dozens of likes and retweets, but some 1,300 replies – they were thoroughly ratioed:
Even those sympathetic to Israel’s rationale for preventing the import of a litany of goods into Gaza found it hard to swallow:
Some Twitter users noted that the boots appeared to be sized for youths:
Some responses riffed on the idea that sturdy boots could undermine security and stability:
Others joked that a fashion crime was thwarted by one of the world’s most powerful militaries:
COGAT and other Israeli military authorities lack any sense of irony or self-awareness.
Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid. Weaponry made in the US, including bunker-buster bombs made by Boeing, based in Chicago, has killed civilians in Gaza.
Palestinians have no state and no army. Israel possesses nuclear weapons but wants people to believe that hiking shoes pose a threat to its security.
Unless those boots are outfitted with spyware to be used against Palestinians.
Earlier this year, Palestinian factions in Gaza accused Israel of embedding tracking devices in shoes imported into Gaza.
One response to COGAT noted that the same army that confiscates shoes allows soldiers to shoot at the legs of unarmed protesters in Gaza, inflicting injuries requiring amputation:
But as many noted – this writer included – COGAT’s propaganda fail demonstrates the profound control it has over the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation:
Israel’s import restrictions – imposed on both the West Bank and Gaza, but the latter more severely – have been disastrous for the Palestinian economy.
“Dual-use” restrictions
Israel’s long list of “dual-use” items – goods that may have military purposes – goes far beyond guidelines established in international treaties.
For Gaza, it includes communications and medical equipment, as well as spare parts, preventing Palestinian manufacturers from repairing and maintaining assembly lines.
The dual-use list is also arbitrary. A good successfully imported by a trader one month may be deemed “dual-use” by Israel later on.
Access to “dual-use” items requires authorization by COGAT, in what the World Bank characterizes as “a long, nontransparent and unpredictable bureaucratic process.”
Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian movement and trade are the primary barriers to economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza.
With 70 percent unemployment among Gazans between the ages of 15 and 29, young people who can are leaving the territory.
Palestinians in Gaza who have protested these conditions have been answered with thousands of Israeli-fired bullets, resulting in more than 200 deaths.
Gaza has seen an increasing number of suicides, as well as higher rates of divorce and abuse of drugs.
There’s an adage about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes:
Most of the tweets posted by COGAT, the bureaucratic arm of Israel’s military occupation, are frankly ridiculous.
Their Twitter posts attempt to portray Israeli soldiers controlling the movement of millions of Palestinians as benevolent humanitarians providing accommodation to travelers: all tweets
A video recently tweeted by COGAT features a soldier belonging to the Druze religious minority describing the segregated H2 area of Hebron, site of the infamous Ibrahimi mosque massacre, as a bastion of coexistence:
Most of COGAT’s bland English-language tweets disappear into the Internet ether, lacking resonance, sophistication and quality. Crude propaganda and outright threats undermine the humanitarian image the military body is trying to project.
Wave of mockery
But last week, two of COGAT’s tweets unleashed a wave of mockery.
One of the tweets features a photo of a man holding three lace-up hiking boots. COGAT states that the shoes “were hidden in a shipment of civilian goods, in an attempt to smuggle them into Gaza for terrorist purposes”:
The other tweet shows the shoes on the ground in front of boxes and a shipping palette.
“This is another miserable and failed attempt by terrorist groups in Gaza to hide behind the civilian population, without taking into account how it endangers the economy and trade,” COGAT states.
“The more these attempts continue, the more security and stability are compromised.”
The tweets received dozens of likes and retweets, but some 1,300 replies – they were thoroughly ratioed:
Even those sympathetic to Israel’s rationale for preventing the import of a litany of goods into Gaza found it hard to swallow:
Some Twitter users noted that the boots appeared to be sized for youths:
Some responses riffed on the idea that sturdy boots could undermine security and stability:
Others joked that a fashion crime was thwarted by one of the world’s most powerful militaries:
COGAT and other Israeli military authorities lack any sense of irony or self-awareness.
Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid. Weaponry made in the US, including bunker-buster bombs made by Boeing, based in Chicago, has killed civilians in Gaza.
Palestinians have no state and no army. Israel possesses nuclear weapons but wants people to believe that hiking shoes pose a threat to its security.
Unless those boots are outfitted with spyware to be used against Palestinians.
Earlier this year, Palestinian factions in Gaza accused Israel of embedding tracking devices in shoes imported into Gaza.
One response to COGAT noted that the same army that confiscates shoes allows soldiers to shoot at the legs of unarmed protesters in Gaza, inflicting injuries requiring amputation:
But as many noted – this writer included – COGAT’s propaganda fail demonstrates the profound control it has over the lives of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation:
Israel’s import restrictions – imposed on both the West Bank and Gaza, but the latter more severely – have been disastrous for the Palestinian economy.
“Dual-use” restrictions
Israel’s long list of “dual-use” items – goods that may have military purposes – goes far beyond guidelines established in international treaties.
For Gaza, it includes communications and medical equipment, as well as spare parts, preventing Palestinian manufacturers from repairing and maintaining assembly lines.
The dual-use list is also arbitrary. A good successfully imported by a trader one month may be deemed “dual-use” by Israel later on.
Access to “dual-use” items requires authorization by COGAT, in what the World Bank characterizes as “a long, nontransparent and unpredictable bureaucratic process.”
Israel’s restrictions on Palestinian movement and trade are the primary barriers to economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza.
With 70 percent unemployment among Gazans between the ages of 15 and 29, young people who can are leaving the territory.
Palestinians in Gaza who have protested these conditions have been answered with thousands of Israeli-fired bullets, resulting in more than 200 deaths.
Gaza has seen an increasing number of suicides, as well as higher rates of divorce and abuse of drugs.
There’s an adage about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes:
4 aug 2019
Palestinian media outlets approved a code of conduct document to counter hate speech in the Palestinian media as part of the project, which was implemented by the Palestinian center for development and media freedoms – MADA with the support of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) and UNESCO.
MADA Center arranged a consultation meeting with the Palestinian media outlets to discuss the adoption of this document of ethical code of conduct to counter hate speech in the Palestinian local media, to abide by the principles of professional journalism and its ethics and to avoid incitement, hatred, distinction, and partisan, religious or geographical racism, which are the basic meaning of non-hatred environment.
The document was finalized after several discussions with the local Media outlets who fully agreed and signed upon the content.
The purpose of this document is to limit hate speech that may be transmitted or disseminated by the media and to ensure its commitment to objectivity in the journalistic work and non-bias towards one party against another, adopting values of tolerance, acceptance of opinion, not defaming or inciting hatred and violence against any person or institution or an official or an informal body in Palestine on the basis of sex, religion, race or political affiliation, publishing news and information in an objective and professional manner without provoking sedition or sectarianism, and taking into account the scrutiny and review of news and speeches before publishing to ensure that it does not contain a hate speech.
MADA Center carried out several activities within the project “countering hate speech in Palestine”, including training workshops for a group of professional journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to raise awareness about hate speech and the distinction between it and freedom of opinion and expression.
The Center also carried out a media campaign through social media and media outlets to introduce the hate speech and its negative effects on the media and society, in addition several radio episodes tackled topics related to countering the hate speech, highlighting the best practices through the guested, those episodes had a great impact on the audience which was measured through their involvement in calls and social discussions.
A tool kit was compiled and produced by the Center after the several contributions on hate speech, being the first of its kind in Palestine.
http://www.madacenter.org/media.php?lang=2&id=807&category_id=8
For more information on hate speech, see UNESCO’s Anti-Hatred Speech (2015): http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002332/233231a.pdf
Code of Conduct – Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media Outlets
We, the media professionals, in our capacities as representatives of Palestinian media outlets, convinced of the media role in promoting freedom of opinion and expression, respect for diversity and the opinion of others, and based on the international conventions and Palestinian laws and legislation, confirm that the development of our profession and promoting its role requires us to enforce and abide by the principles of diversity, equality, integrity, transparency, countering violence, incitement and advocacy of hatred. Thus, we commit ourselves to:
Signatories to the Code of Conduct on Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media Outlets:
MADA Center arranged a consultation meeting with the Palestinian media outlets to discuss the adoption of this document of ethical code of conduct to counter hate speech in the Palestinian local media, to abide by the principles of professional journalism and its ethics and to avoid incitement, hatred, distinction, and partisan, religious or geographical racism, which are the basic meaning of non-hatred environment.
The document was finalized after several discussions with the local Media outlets who fully agreed and signed upon the content.
The purpose of this document is to limit hate speech that may be transmitted or disseminated by the media and to ensure its commitment to objectivity in the journalistic work and non-bias towards one party against another, adopting values of tolerance, acceptance of opinion, not defaming or inciting hatred and violence against any person or institution or an official or an informal body in Palestine on the basis of sex, religion, race or political affiliation, publishing news and information in an objective and professional manner without provoking sedition or sectarianism, and taking into account the scrutiny and review of news and speeches before publishing to ensure that it does not contain a hate speech.
MADA Center carried out several activities within the project “countering hate speech in Palestine”, including training workshops for a group of professional journalists in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to raise awareness about hate speech and the distinction between it and freedom of opinion and expression.
The Center also carried out a media campaign through social media and media outlets to introduce the hate speech and its negative effects on the media and society, in addition several radio episodes tackled topics related to countering the hate speech, highlighting the best practices through the guested, those episodes had a great impact on the audience which was measured through their involvement in calls and social discussions.
A tool kit was compiled and produced by the Center after the several contributions on hate speech, being the first of its kind in Palestine.
http://www.madacenter.org/media.php?lang=2&id=807&category_id=8
For more information on hate speech, see UNESCO’s Anti-Hatred Speech (2015): http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002332/233231a.pdf
Code of Conduct – Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media Outlets
We, the media professionals, in our capacities as representatives of Palestinian media outlets, convinced of the media role in promoting freedom of opinion and expression, respect for diversity and the opinion of others, and based on the international conventions and Palestinian laws and legislation, confirm that the development of our profession and promoting its role requires us to enforce and abide by the principles of diversity, equality, integrity, transparency, countering violence, incitement and advocacy of hatred. Thus, we commit ourselves to:
- Objectivity in the professional work and avoid taking sides.
- To adopt the values of tolerance, accept others’ opinions and respect different orientations.
- To avoid defamation or incitement to hatred and violence against any person or organization or official or non-official authorities on the basis of sex, religion, race or political affiliation.
- To transmit news and information objectively and professionally without sedition or rising sectarianism.
- To refrain from publishing any news involving, in content, incitement or hatred or discrimination or any form of racism.
- To take into account reviewing the news and speeches before being published to ensure they do not contain any hate speech. This may be done using the six-part threshold test adopted by international organizations to clarify whether the news or speech is a hate speech or not, which takes into consideration:
- Context and enormity of speech.
- The speaker in terms of power and influencing the audience.
- Intent or clear intention to be involved in a hate speech.
- Content of speech and whether it holds direct or indirect advocacy for discrimination or racism or violence or hostility.
- Extent of the speech and its intensity.
- Likelihood of causing harm.
Signatories to the Code of Conduct on Countering Hate Speech within the Palestinian Media Outlets:
- Ma’an News Agency
- Raya FM
- Nissa FM
- 24FM
- WATAN News Agency/WATAN TV
- Bethlehem 2000 Radio
- Quds News Network
- Palestine News Network
- A’lam Radio
- Alhadath electronic Newspaper
- Nativity TV
- Safa Palestinian Press Agency
- Madar News Agency
- Alestqlal Newspaper
- Palestine Today TV
- Palestine Today Agency
- SAWA Agency
- Watan Radio
- Quds Radio
- Albalad FM
- Oroba Radio 939fm
3 aug 2019
US-based pro-Israel advocacy organization, the Israel Project (TIP), has reportedly been forced to close its Israel office in anticipation of a complete shutdown due to a sharp decline in support.
According to the TIP’s managers, the group "simply ran out of money” after losing a large proportion of its annual funds and donations due to the increased “polarized political climate in the United States”, Haaretz reported on Thursday.
The pro-Israel group was a proponent of “hasbara”, an Israeli concept seeking to legitimize Israel in the eyes of world public opinion through disseminating propaganda.
The TIP formed in 2002, at the height of the second Palestinian Intifada, and sought to influence journalists and their coverage of Israel.
TIP activities gradually grew to cover multiple languages and countries, as well as conducting influence operations on social media.
The group has been known for its hard-hitting stance against Iran and even Islam, going as far as promoting Islamophobia and conducting marketing research on how to “sell military action against Iran to the American public”.
‘We attacked the Iran deal’
The group prides itself in having lobbied extensively against the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a key polarizing factor which also led to the group’s sharp decline.
TIP’s vice president and head of its Israel office Lior Weintraub, a former Israeli diplomat in Washington, described why the group gradually lost support among its donors.
“We attacked the Iran deal; because Israel became part of the internal American political debate;...because support for Israel became too complicated for some of them in these times,” he said.
Critics believe that the pro-Israel advocacy group became too closely aligned with the regime of Israeli prime minister Netanyahu, specifically in its bid to torpedo the Iran nuclear deal, alienating many American supporters across the political spectrum.
Consequently starting from 2015, TIP lost a large number of its donations, and is currently on the verge of shutting down all together.
Last month, TIP CEO Josh Block, a former spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee resigned from the organization, issuing a statement citing “the polarized political climate in the US, both in the wider body politic and inside the Jewish community,” as the reason for TIP’s downfall.
Despite US President Donald Trump’s strongly pro-Israel foreign policy, the fall of the leading pro-Israel propaganda firm marks one of the latest signals of increasing negative public opinion regarding Israel in the US.
Trump’s strong stance regarding Israel has pushed t Tel Aviv into the center of American political discussion, resulting in increased debate about Washington’s support.
A recent Gallup poll found that American support for Israel has fallen to its lowest level in the past decade.
The decline was seen among both Democrats and Republicans. Followers of Trump’s own party posted the sharpest decrease, however.
According to the TIP’s managers, the group "simply ran out of money” after losing a large proportion of its annual funds and donations due to the increased “polarized political climate in the United States”, Haaretz reported on Thursday.
The pro-Israel group was a proponent of “hasbara”, an Israeli concept seeking to legitimize Israel in the eyes of world public opinion through disseminating propaganda.
The TIP formed in 2002, at the height of the second Palestinian Intifada, and sought to influence journalists and their coverage of Israel.
TIP activities gradually grew to cover multiple languages and countries, as well as conducting influence operations on social media.
The group has been known for its hard-hitting stance against Iran and even Islam, going as far as promoting Islamophobia and conducting marketing research on how to “sell military action against Iran to the American public”.
‘We attacked the Iran deal’
The group prides itself in having lobbied extensively against the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, a key polarizing factor which also led to the group’s sharp decline.
TIP’s vice president and head of its Israel office Lior Weintraub, a former Israeli diplomat in Washington, described why the group gradually lost support among its donors.
“We attacked the Iran deal; because Israel became part of the internal American political debate;...because support for Israel became too complicated for some of them in these times,” he said.
Critics believe that the pro-Israel advocacy group became too closely aligned with the regime of Israeli prime minister Netanyahu, specifically in its bid to torpedo the Iran nuclear deal, alienating many American supporters across the political spectrum.
Consequently starting from 2015, TIP lost a large number of its donations, and is currently on the verge of shutting down all together.
Last month, TIP CEO Josh Block, a former spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee resigned from the organization, issuing a statement citing “the polarized political climate in the US, both in the wider body politic and inside the Jewish community,” as the reason for TIP’s downfall.
Despite US President Donald Trump’s strongly pro-Israel foreign policy, the fall of the leading pro-Israel propaganda firm marks one of the latest signals of increasing negative public opinion regarding Israel in the US.
Trump’s strong stance regarding Israel has pushed t Tel Aviv into the center of American political discussion, resulting in increased debate about Washington’s support.
A recent Gallup poll found that American support for Israel has fallen to its lowest level in the past decade.
The decline was seen among both Democrats and Republicans. Followers of Trump’s own party posted the sharpest decrease, however.
1 aug 2019
Facebook has won a lawsuit filed against them by the relatives of US citizens killed in Hamas attacks in Israel.
They accused Facebook furthering Hamas’ goals by providing the group with a social media platform.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled on Wednesday that the 1996 Communications Decency Act protects Facebook from liability.
The 1996 Act gives immunity from liability for providers and users of an “interactive computer service” who publish information provided by third-party users.
The plaintiffs had sought $ 3 billion in compensation from Facebook for allowing Hamas to use its media platform to “encourage attacks in Israel and celebrate successful attacks”.
The case involved attacks targeting five Americans in Israel, killing four of them between 2014 and 2016.
In May 2017, a Brooklyn court in New York rejected the original lawsuit against Facebook, which accused the organisation of supporting Hamas. The prosecution filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal.
They accused Facebook furthering Hamas’ goals by providing the group with a social media platform.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled on Wednesday that the 1996 Communications Decency Act protects Facebook from liability.
The 1996 Act gives immunity from liability for providers and users of an “interactive computer service” who publish information provided by third-party users.
The plaintiffs had sought $ 3 billion in compensation from Facebook for allowing Hamas to use its media platform to “encourage attacks in Israel and celebrate successful attacks”.
The case involved attacks targeting five Americans in Israel, killing four of them between 2014 and 2016.
In May 2017, a Brooklyn court in New York rejected the original lawsuit against Facebook, which accused the organisation of supporting Hamas. The prosecution filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal.