In an obvious attempt to counter the typically anti-Israeli sentiment prevalent throughout the international media whenever Israel defends itself, the Israel Defense Forces launched its own YouTube channel Monday.
As most impartial Americans are aware, old and new media were used against Israel in 2006 to foment international criticism of its attacks on Lebanon not the least of which was a Reuters photographer caught doctoring pictures.
With this in mind, as reported by the Jerusalem Post Tuesday, the IDF plans on being much more proactive this time in making the international community completely aware of what's really going on with Israel's recent military response in the Gaza Strip (video example embedded right):
In the midst of its Gaza operations, the IDF is entering yet another conflict zone: the Internet. The Israeli army announced yesterday the creation of its own YouTube channel, through which it will disseminate footage of precision bombing operations in the Gaza Strip, as well as aid distribution and other footage of interest to the international community.
"The blogosphere and new media are another war zone," said IDF Foreign Press Branch head Maj. Avital Leibovich. "We have to be relevant there."Her sentiment reflects a growing awareness in the Israeli government that part of the failure of the 2006 Second Lebanon War was Israel's lack of readiness for the intense media debate surrounding its operations. [...]
"The important thing is to get the truth out there," she added, noting that her office, in addition to curating the YouTube channel, had delivered multiple private briefings to bloggers around the world. She said that members of her department were also getting ready to start their own "vlogs," a new media term for regularly posting videos of oneself speaking one's mind in diary form.
This seems like a brilliant strategy, so much so that maybe the Bush administration should have considered doing this years ago to counter the constant stream of Democrat talking points regularly espoused by America's media.
Just a thought.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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awesome Noel
December 30, 2008 - 10:59 ET by candanceThank you so much for sharing this. Would that more Americans really understood what Israel is up against.
I'm a typical white person.
The GOP should do the same
December 30, 2008 - 11:12 ET by mattmThe GOP should do the same thing.
Most of the attacks shown
December 30, 2008 - 11:24 ET by BDMost of the attacks shown on the aobve video occurred in open orchards that the Hamas terrorists have been using as launch sites. Now, Reuters will counter by showing a house that likely impoded from a Hamas missile storage and hadling accident that has small children casualties.
And the American left will assume that Israel is "Carpet Bombing Villages" again in order to kill innocents.
Virtually no images will be shown of the rockets impacting in school yards in Ashkalon that have 1 inch ball bearings glued to the warhead to maximize their killing power to humans in the open air with a range of 200 yards.
Reuters Fraud
December 30, 2008 - 14:06 ET by dboReuters will counter by showing a house that likely impoded from a
Hamas missile storage and hadling accident that has small children
casualties
3 minute video on Reuters fraud.
http://www.aish.com/...
Olmert takes a page from the Playbook of Clinton
December 30, 2008 - 11:24 ET by political mavenThis stooge should have defended Israel years ago...he let Hamas attack Sderot and other Israeli towns with impunity...now that there is an election coming and he is in political hot water (along with his do nothing Kadima party), he finally does what (as his people say) any country would do. (Can you say Monica and attacking an asprin factory?)
Well if any country would do it, would they wait years while their citizens are slaughtered? Unfortunately Olmert and his ilk use their citizens as political pawns as well.
In any event, better late than never.....
Now we’ll see how many in
December 30, 2008 - 11:56 ET by maggieqpublicNow we’ll see how many in the international community choose to pay attention. My guess… the worldwide MSM will not be sharing the Israeli point-of-view in their columns and newscasts. Only sites like Newsbusters will make us aware of this alternative coverage of Gaza.
But you’ve gotta start somewhere (take notes GOP).
About Time
December 30, 2008 - 12:06 ET by nofateGood shot, Noel. Also, the RNC and the Bush administration has had a lot of myth busting done for them right here. But that's not the same as pro-actively posting on Youtube. It's time to get someone besides MRC to counter the constant barrage of lies promulgated about Republicans and by default, conservatives.
"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."
michaelyon-online.com
How long till YouTube shuts the channel down
December 30, 2008 - 12:06 ET by c5thenI'm sure there are plenty of "palestinians" flagging it as "inappropriate" in an effort to do just that.
Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!
Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012
*
December 31, 2008 - 00:40 ET by R D Helm*
So, how long will it be before YouTube pulls down their channel?
December 30, 2008 - 12:07 ET by R D HelmAfter all, that place is loaded to the gills with whiny, America-hating terrorist supporters.
-Dave
It looks like they are
December 30, 2008 - 13:50 ET by thebutlerdiditIt looks like they are already flagging and blocking them. Figures.
YouTube spikes pro Israel vids
December 30, 2008 - 14:50 ET by Jack BauerYouTube has removed pro-Israel videos from the IDF's own channel. Oh yeah, that's a surprise.
Read all about it at:
http://israelmatzav....
Hey Jack... Color me
December 30, 2008 - 14:59 ET by bigtimerHey Jack...
Color me shocked!
This figures, what took them so long, see it says to go to LiveLeak, which I did, still nothing yet.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Yeah, those YouTubers are such......tubes.
December 30, 2008 - 15:10 ET by R D Helm-Dave
Remember, the UTube staff
December 30, 2008 - 17:44 ET by BDRemember, the UTube staff does not have to worry about a Mossad operative kneecapping them as they go to the office.
They DO have to worry about a carbomb provided care of Hamas to their corporate offices.
It is simply a case of finding it CONVENIENT to be one sided...
Seems like they've put the
December 30, 2008 - 17:59 ET by andophiroxiaSeems like they've put the YouTube content back up.
The IDF is getting an idea and have had a good idea (in general) of it for taking the intiative to stand up for itself when no one else can.
*Please take some notes GOP, this might help you instead of being a bunch of blue-blooded politicians.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” ~ Winston Churchill
I applaud the IDF
December 30, 2008 - 20:31 ET by BDI applaud the IDF efforts. Right after 9/11 the DOD released a plan to create an organization that would do such a thing under the heading of information warfare. The gist would be that the US Peoples message would be laid out for the world to see and disseminated in an effective manner so the world could know our story.
Almost immediately the press cried BLOODY MURDER. Essentially they said "But the dessemination of your message is OUR job!" And the DOD under Rumsfeld backed down.
Has anyone SEEN our message? Hell no... since the press does not really CARE about disseminating the US message. Hell, the closest thing we have for dissemination of such messages is a private enterprise called Military.com which tries, but has to receive its material from interested members which some members get in trouble for releasing the material.
If I were president I would backtrack on that decision ASAP, reestablish the department of Information warfare, and openly bless Military.com members efforts.
That Could Happen
December 31, 2008 - 00:27 ET by nofateBD, I expect that to happen about the same time Bush releases Compean and Ramos.
"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."
michaelyon-online.com