We've been working on a blogpost about some creative, timely and strategic uses of Twitter. This one, however, begs immediate attention.
As we blogged about earlier, people around the world have been gathering in Second Life since Saturday to protest the attacks in Gaza. And we've received a number of emails as well as blog responses to that post.
Earlier today, however, I discovered that the Israeli Consulate in New York City had launched two Twitter accounts @israelconsulate and @DavidSaranga ... And I immediately started following them. David Saranga is the Consul of Media and Public Affairs -- essentially the public diplomacy person at the consulate. Notably, he is the person behind the so-called "beer n' babes" campaign of 2007 that ran in Maxim Magazine in which Maxim sent photographers to Israel for an Israeli women photo shoot.
After following them on Twitter, I discovered this: Tomorrow, Tuesday December 30 from 1-3pm Eastern, the Consulate General of Israel in New York will be hosting a 'Citizens "Press" Conference' to discuss the conflict in Gaza IN TWITTER! (On January 30 we are planning to do a Twitter press conference for the Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds project following our formal event on January 29.)
The Israeli Consulate's effort is an excellent study in Public Diplomacy 2.0 and an even more interesting use of tactical and nimble public affairs using our ever evolving social networking ecosystem. I've been consistently impressed with the Israeli government's agility and ease of using newer technology tools to communicate their message. And this effort is one that I am looking forward to participating in with great interest.
[Update: Some great observations and links on this in the comments section of BoingBoing. Commenter Takuan in particular.]
9 comments:
Can someone twitter this question for me?
To the Israeli Consulate: Hamas attacks from Gaza killed 17 Israelis in 2008. How many Palestinian civilians are you willing to kill before you decide the moral cost of your attack is too high?
Anonymous- Israel is targeting terrorists, not civilians, in contrast to Hamas which is encouraging more suicide bombings and other attack goodies. When Hamas terrorists hide within civilian locales, they are the ones endangering civilians, not Israel who has a moral obligation to protect its innocents. Interesting, huh. Why don't you twitter that to Hamas?
anonymous: is this some for of biblical or koranic justice? if hamas kills one israeli, then israel is allowed to kill one in return, and then wait?
somehow, anonymous neglects to mention that hamas has been lobbing thousands of missiles over the last 8 years. 3 years ago israel left gaza - what in gods (or anyone elses) name are they still shooting missiles for?
evidently hamas understands no language other than force. it can certainly not dictate the rules of the conflict, and must be made aware that when israel finally has enough, the hamas will be shown this in full force. does hamas want to stop this? it has to do only one simple thing: lay down its weapons. the world will beat a path to gaza's door with efforts to rebuild its economy and infrastructure. it's that simple.
Agreed - it's hypocritical for Hamas boosters to fret over the body count of terrorists killed. Hamas' recently promulgated Sharia-based code of 'justice' stipulates crucifixion as punishment for non-believers, and yet all these starry-eyed Christian college kids are tripping over themselves to aid terrorists. Only the Palestinians had the audacity to murder kindergartners at the Misgav Am nursery in 1980, just as their ideological cousins in the Taliban deliberately chose a school this week for a suicide bombing that destroyed the worlds of 13 Muslim schoolchildren. By comparison, Israel's use of precision-guided missiles and intelligence to target terrorists speaks to its moral compass; we all know that Israel's military could've easily used the same indiscriminate Soviet rockets that Hamas uses to do the job. And you're right that Hamas has squandered Gaza's 3 years of de facto independence with pointless rocket attacks, just as the Chechens squandered theirs in 1996-1999 by kidnapping and beheading foreign construction workers. No country should be forced to abide terrorism, no matter how many AP photographers are on hand to coax "Pallywood" Arabs into playing dead for the camera, or actually perpetrate manslaughter, as in the Al-Durah affair. Besides, Israel is doing a favor for Egypt and the moderates in Fatah who are all threatened by Hamas thugs and their brothers in those regions. And by the way - the reason the media keep referring to the "Arab street" as a monolithic community is because without the development of meaningful institutions and rights in Arab countries, everyone is reduced to groupthink and single-minded bloodlust. Let's hope that Israel's strikes elevate their thinking.
What are they shooting missiles for? Israel left Gaza?? You need a lesson in history, mate. And Hamas is not necessarily 'hiding' amongst civilians as Hezbollah was; the Gaza Strip holds 1.5 millon people walled into 25 miles. It is literally impossible to find a safe place to live/hide. Israel has controlled Gaza's borders (air, land and sea) for years now, and they cut of humanitarian aid! Collective punishment! It's disgusting, Israel has NO moral compass.
Alan Dershowitz responds to the claims that Israel is using disproportional force:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123085925621747981.html
Among Israel's accusers is UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
It's sad that the top steward of the United Nations Charter is incapable of reading, interpreting, and rationally applying its core principles.
-ls/cm
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