Israel’s disinformation playbook: Delay, deflect, deny
Israel falls back on its media manipulation tactics after the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh attracts global attention. Plus, Putin v Zelenskyy; the optics game.
Israel’s denial and disinformation surrounding the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh came as no surprise to Palestinians familiar with the Israeli playbook – the one it uses to deflect, delay and avoid accountability. It has the effect of muddying the waters, obscuring what, to those on the ground, is crystal clear: that Israel systematically targets Palestinian journalists for doing their jobs.
Contributors:
Fadi Quran – Campaign Director, Avaaz
Omar Shakir – Israel & Palestine Director, Human Rights Watch
Joshua Leifer – Contributing Editor, Jewish Currents
Noura Erekat – Human rights lawyer
On our radar:
Elon Musk is one of the richest men on earth, and his attempted $44bn buyout of Twitter has sparked widespread interest. Producer Nicholas Muirhead looks into the various twists and turns of the deal since Musk first started tweeting about it last month.
Zelenskyy’s penchant for PR
Since Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, the information war has not gone the Kremlin’s way. Producer Johanna Hoes examines how Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has captivated audiences and won friends abroad, in a way Vladimir Putin never could. But is Putin even worried about all the clicks, likes and support Zelenskyy is getting online?
Contributors:
James Rodgers – Lecturer, City University; author of Assignment Moscow
Aglaya Snetkov – Lecturer in international politics of Russia, University College London
Branko Marcetic – Writer, Jacobin
Melinda Haring – Deputy Director of Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council