Israeli Diplomat Addresses HR Reception at AIPAC
March 6, 2012 17:24 by Joe Hyams
HR CEO Joe Hyams (left) with Minister for Public Diplomacy at the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, Noam Katz
HonestReporting was proud to take part in the 2012 AIPAC Policy Conference, where Mission alumni, subscribers and supporters gathered for a unique briefing.
Our after-hours Dessert Reception was honored by a guest speaker – previously unannounced to those gathered – Mr Noam Katz, Minister for Public Diplomacy at Israel’s Embassy in Washington DC.
The buzz, the sense of occasion, and the political tension rolling through DC Sunday night would have given Minister Katz plenty else to give priority to. But he delivered a frank, engaging message to the HonestReporting reception.
Namely that HonestReporting, and groups like ours, are essential as they are central to our shared responsibility to check falsehood and abuse directed at Israel via the media, and in particular the emergent media tools of the Internet age.
Minister Katz had been busy that very day in his role overseeing President Shimon Peres’s Twitter account, launched just prior to the AIPAC conference and enjoying over 1000 followers as of our briefing on March 4th.
(President Peres is launching his Facebook page, meeting with Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg today – March 6th.)
Addressing the audience, Minister Katz said:
When I think about organizations like HonestReporting, there is no doubt that they have the ability to do the work that will expose truth, and the ability to choose how to disseminate it. What government can do is limited. In New Media we are considered less credible than organizations. I say I do public diplomacy – they say I lie for my state. I assure you that I do not.
Joe Hyams, HR’s CEO described HR’s presence at AIPAC as:
an important opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to shared goals when it comes to defending public opinion vis a vis Israel. Media has a direct influence on public opinion, and in that regard we have to work hard to make that reality known, and empower our supporters with the tools to make Israel’s true intentions, ambitions and qualities known.
Just as AIPAC recognizes that the public will not inform and educate itself, HonestReporting recognizes that the media will not police itself to ensure high ethical standards, and our supporters need solid tools and training to navigate social media tools directly. It was a privilege to stand with so many committed supporters ofIsrael, to reconnect with our HonestReporting friends, and to be honored by Minister Katz’s address at this historic gathering in Washington DC.
Minister Katz appealed for Israel’s supporters to become engaged on Israel’s behalf:
But we need more voices. New Media operates via networks and not pyramids, where ideas are shared via communities in cyberspace. We need to create a node, where discourse can be achieved, and we can be a significant force together in that regard. We cannot control the conversation, but we can start it, and reach those with honesty and accuracy who we might never previously have succeeded to engage.
Catherine H. Gerry
6:14 pm
Mar 06, 2012
I just spoke with one of my Christian neighbors…husband deceased, was a fighter pilot in WW2 and my husband was a B-17W navigator in the same War. We’re very ashamed with what’s happening in the USA present leadership. Yesss, Israel realizes just what might happen, should action be taken to destroy the Nuclear production in Iran. The leaders of that Country are really out of control. Our husbands were very ashamed of what was happening before they passed away. Where is the Love and Belief of G-d? Jewish people do not look to hurt their fellow man but if forced, they must have the privilege of defending themselves and in their way, defending the Freedom of the World.
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Brent Pudsey
8:00 pm
Mar 06, 2012
This is a good start in recognizing that the media needs to listen to other voices so that the truth can be told. I applaud Mr. Noam Katz for his commentary on the importance the work Honesty Reporting is doing.
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Eve Laing
3:38 pm
Mar 07, 2012
I have come to the conclusion that for most of the time over centuries perhaps, that we facing so much mis-information and outright anti-semitism……have taken a re-active stance. We are a clever and aware people who make things happen, but not nearly as much as we should be doing to respond to lies and defamations. My suggestion is that we decide, most of us decide that we will only be pro-active. We know how to make movies…..for sure, so one action we should be taking is to push our ‘soft power’ via the media. For example, I am in the process of making a formal complaint to our government TV station for showing a 3 part TV series called “THE PROMISE” a BBC production, (please google it) that was blatantly biased against the Israelis and Jews in general. To change perceptions about who we are……we need to make movies or documentaries that show clearly what we do, what we have done, who we are, what we love and what we hate………in a positive way that will do much to disempower those that would destroy us with false narratives……..Belonging to the American Anti-Defamation League for years made me feel right, but also powerless against these relentless and never ending lies, provocations, conspiracy theories…..We all know what I mean. So let’s take a major stance to be very pro-active…….advertise it…..we do not take care of ourselves well enough. We explained in great detail our part in the Flotilla debacle, trying to explain our ‘righteousness’ but it falls on deaf ears around the world. Instead, thinking laterally, why not exploit the websites that feature the shopping malls in Gaza and their million dollar real estate on the shores of the Mediterrean……………which would give lie to the need to organize a flotilla to feed the starving masses in Gaza by different anti-semitic countries……We must think laterally, aggressively, ahead of the Bastards who would destroy Israel in a snap of the fingers.
Eve Laing
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