MediaCentral Activities Update
April – June 2022
Laura Cornfield
Director, MediaCentral
Dear friends,
I hope this letter finds you well and safe.
In the second quarter of 2022, the country was plagued by continued terrorism and unrest. Among the events addressed by MediaCentral were the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the controversy surrounding the Jerusalem Flag March. Also in the month of June, the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) was dissolved, setting the country on course towards its fifth election in less than four years.
MediaCentral facilitated forums on these hot topics in a timely manner, focusing on conveying the facts and critical context to foreign correspondents.
We continue to go above and beyond so as to satisfy our core mission: connecting reporters with local and foreign experts, who provide members of the international media with relevant content for inclusion in their stories.
We greatly appreciate the ongoing support of all of our partners and supporters that empowers us to make a tremendous difference in the manner in which Israel is portrayed worldwide.
Laura Cornfield,
Director, MediaCentral
Journalists appreciation
Abraham Accords in Action
First Free Trade Agreement Between Israel and an Arab State Signed in UAE
The governments of Israel and the United Arab Emirates signed a historic free trade deal in Dubai on May 31, a move aimed at further boosting trade and investment ties between the two countries.
MediaCentral hosted Jonathan Medved, OurCrowd CEO and Dr Sabah al Binali, Partner and Executive Chairman, OurCrowd Arabia.
There were two dozen outlets on the call, including NYT, Reuters, WSJ, CBN, the Circuit and VOA.
Israel-Lebanon Maritime Border Dispute
Orna Mizrahi, expert on Lebanon and Senior Fellow at INSS, discussed the likely outcome of the festering maritime dispute, how it will impact the Middle East and the implications for the two countries at the center of the controversy.
Among the participants in the call were CNN, AP, AFP, Bloomberg and Financial Times.
Mizrachi was quoted on air and in dozens of articles by CNN’s Hadas Gold.
Orna Mizrahi, a senior research fellow at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies, said in a briefing to reporters on Sunday that the main issue preventing an agreement between the two sides was a “change in the Lebanese stance” on where the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon lies.
Israeli Parliament Dissolves
On June 20, when news of the Israeli parliament being dissolved broke, MediaCentral immediately held a zoom conference with political analysts Aviv Bushinsky and Gil Hoffman. We were the first to offer background and up-to-date information to the foreign press.
The event resulted in dozens of articles in top tier outlets abroad.
Knesset Fails to Extend West Bank Emergency Law: Civil Implications for Israeli Citizens Beyond the Green Line
At the beginning of June, Israel’s government failed to pass a bill extending legal protections for Israeli West Bank residents. Since 1967, the emergency regulation had given this community the same rights as Israeli citizens. The failure to pass it by the end of June could have brought civilian life in these settlements to a grinding halt.
David Elhayani, Head of YESHA Council, and Prof. Avi Bell, an international legal expert, discussed the political ramifications and how legislative development will impact this community.
Field Tour
Ramifications of the Supreme Court's Decision to Uphold the Sale of Greek Orthodox Properties
Following the Supreme Court’s June rejection of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate’s appeal against the Ateret Cohanim organization’s takeover of three buildings in Jerusalem’s Old City, MediaCentral arranged a tour and briefing with both sides – Ateret Cohanim and Arab tenants to hear about the current legal status and other related issues.
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