HonestReporting’s 24th Advocacy Mission to Israel gave 20 participants from around the world an incredible opportunity to experience a week of high-level speakers, exclusive visits to the places in the news, all topped off with fine cuisine and luxury accommodation.
TOP QUALITY SPEAKERS
Setting the scene for the week, Times of Israel senior analyst Haviv Rettig Gur gave his take on how Israel finds itself in its current position with a population that has tried both left and right-wing policies yet is still as far away from a resolution with the Palestinians as before the Oslo peace process.
Despite its location in such a turbulent neighborhood, Israel is still a country of miracles as journalist and Middle East commentator Amos Asa-El eloquently reminded the Mission of Israel’s achievements in so many spheres such as high-tech, science and medicine.
Being in Jerusalem at a time of great tension, it was only natural that the struggle for the holy city was expertly presented by Dr. Mordechai Kedar, the Head of Arab Studies at Bar-Ilan University.
While Israel is facing its own security challenges in its immediate vicinity, this is also taking place in the background of a Middle East where states such as Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon are in the process of violently imploding.
To help Mission participants make sense of the multitude of parties and players taking part in the conflict, Dr. Jonathan Spyer, Director of the Rubin Center of the IDC Herzliya expertly explained the complicated regional situation and its significance not only for the countries directly involved but also for Israel.
Mission participants were able to hear about the Palestinian side courtesy of the Jerusalem Post’s Arab Affairs correspondent Khaled Abu Toameh who gave a sobering insight into the thinking of the Palestinian leadership.
Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch demonstrated with disturbing video evidence, the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic incitement prevalent in the Palestinian media and education system that is currently contributing so much to the Palestinian wave of terror aimed at Israelis.
Former Palestinian security prisoner and now peace activist Sulaiman Khatib gave his own views on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while trying to understand either side’s narrative.
And just how does Israel fight its enemies while respecting human rights and the ethics of warfare? IDF Colonel (res.) Bentzi Gruber gave real life examples of how the IDF operates while doing its utmost to minimize and avoid causing civilian casualties far beyond that of any other western army.
The battle for Israel’s image is not just going on in the media but also on major university campuses. Michelle Rojas-Tal, Diaspora Education Director of StandWithUs, exposed the lies of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign and particularly the vicious agenda of anti-Israel students organizations.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK – FIELD TRIPS
The HonestReporting Mission offered participants experiences far beyond those of regular tourists.
Our latest Mission devoted a full day examining Israel’s minorities in the north of the country. From meeting with co-existence activists in Haifa to hearing about the Baha’i faith against the stunning backdrop of the world-famous Baha’i Gardens; meeting with a leader of the peaceful and little-known Ahmadi Muslims and learning about Druze culture in the village of Dalyat El Carmel, Mission participants enjoyed a fascinating tour led by expert tour guide, ex-IDF officer and Druze activist Ihab Zeidan.
The issue of Jewish settlements is always in the news. But how many people actually know what a settlement really is? Meeting with both Israeli settlers and local Palestinians, the HonestReporting Mission participants were treated to an inside look at the issues on a tour of the Gush Etzion bloc.
The group also had the opportunity to visit the Erez Crossing on Israel’s border with Gaza, receiving an in-depth briefing from an IDF officer and learning about how Israel continues to facilitate significant amounts of aid and goods into Gaza as well as allowing humanitarian and medical visits to Israel for ordinary Gazans.
Led by military analyst Elliot Chodoff, the Mission participants were able to see for themselves the strategic issues and terror threats while also seeing how the threat of Hamas rockets impacts on the everyday lives of the residents of Sderot, a town so often the target of such attacks.
ADVOCACY TRAINING
In addition to hearing from HonestReporting CEO Joe Hyams and Managing Editor Simon Plosker about the work of HR and how to fight media bias, Mission participants also received practical training on how to better present Israel’s case courtesy of renowned educators David Olesker and Neil Lazarus.
JOIN THE NEXT HONESTREPORTING MISSION
If you want to really get inside Israel, join the next HonestReporting Mission, taking place from May 30 – June 6, 2016, and experience the luxury accommodation, sumptuous cuisine and, of course, the opportunity to see the places and meet the people in the news and making the news.
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