New IDF Web 2.0 unit to fight enemies on Facebook, Twitter

[azurnoir]

The Israel Defense Forces Spokesman's Office is to begin drafting computer experts with an eye toward establishing an Internet and new media department unit, Army Spokesman Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu said Monday.

The new unit, as well as an initiative by the Information and Diaspora Ministry to train people to represent Israel independently on the Internet and in other arenas, were presented Monday at the conference during a panel discussion on Israeli public relations abroad.
Responding to criticism of Israel's ability to face hostile entities on the Web, Benayahu said the new program would be able to deal with the problem. He said that from each group drafted to the Army Spokesman's Office, between eight to 10 young people who are experts in Web 2.0 - YouTube, Facebook and Twitter - to be identified before induction, would be assigned to the new department. The new recruits would be put to work in the new media unit after undergoing a general Army Spokesman's Unit training course.

Benayahu told Haaretz the new program would be up and running in a few months.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1131918.html

[vadawg]

1. mmm whats the pay like

[Kurska]

2. Haha, how do I get in on this gig?

I think I could ratchet up my internet arguing from a amateur to a professional level if the paycheck was good enough!

[vadawg]

4. i figure they have to pay at least as good as chavez pays his guys on DU

so figure minimum wage :)

[Sinistrous]

3. I wonder if they are going to use bots to search for negative copy

so they will know where to spread their astroturf responses.

[ConsAreLiars]

5. Does this mean the dittohead brigades and true believers are dwindling in numbers or effectiveness?

I guess paying the desperate will-do-any-shit-to-eat keyboarders to act as lobbyists to operate in more areas is one approach. Sort of old school, since the Corporatocracy has been doing this for many years, as well as setting up various lie-sites to push their agenda.

Ceasing to slaughter and starve and imprison and brutalize and steal land from and destroy the livelihoods of Palestinians would be another.

Instead, hiring shills and liars to provide cover for their crimes was what this government chose. Hey, if it's good enough for the US of fuckin A, it's good enough for anyone. Keep going this route and Israel, on a per capita basis, will set a record exceeding the US's for mass murder and suffering, and still cover it up.

[FarrenH]

6. I was under the strong impression they already had such a unit

and several of its operatives posted here....

[Douglas Carpenter]

8. possibly a few are (although I would not be certain of that by any means)

I'm sure most of the others, like most people on DU across the spectrum - post whatever they post for free - it is what they genuinely believe. It is the modern equivalent of people arguing on the street corner - which was common in American cities up until the middle of the 20th century. It probably disappeared with other forms of public street corner entertainment - with the advent of TV. The Internet brought it back in a new form.

[shaayecanaan]

9. If they do, I can't say they're getting much for their money (nt)

[oberliner]

12. You'd be surprised

Things are not always as they appear to be.

[shaayecanaan]

14. Would I now?

Personally, I am very doubtful of the whole premise. This forum is mainly attended by the same twenty or so people, and pretty much everyone is a rusted-on supporter of either one side or the other. I certainly wouldn't spend any of my hard-earned money on the off-chance that someone might be swayed.

In terms of the supporters of Israel you see on this board I would admit you are the best of a fairly bad lot, inasmuch as you are able to clearly articulate three sentences in a row. Then again, there are probably only 5 or 6 Israel supporters that post here regularly. Of course there are equally inarticulate pro-Palestinian posters on this board but there are more of them so there is more opportunity for quality contributors to present themselves.

A poll during Operation Cast Lead revealed for the first time that a plurality of Democratic voters (45%) disapproved of Israel's actions in that war. This is broadly consistent with the responses you tend to see from occasional participants in this forum ("I used to support Israel, but...") so I can only deduce that any attempt by Israel to influence American opinion in that regard has been a failure.

Similarly, the actions of groups such as AIPAC may well have had an impact on politicians, but at the expense of disenchanting the American public. An AIPAC director once said that any foreign lobby should be like "a night flower: it thrives in the dark and dies in the sun”, but the group itself seems to have disregarded this prudent bit of advice. No American, however well-mannered, truly likes to see his politicians being ministered to by the advocates of a foreign power. Try to imagine American politicians attending a convention where they pledge their fealty to Great Britain while singing God Save the Queen amidst orgiastic waving of Union Jacks.

[oberliner]

15. Every member of AIPAC is an American citizen

I would argue that what you may interpret as pledging fealty, other would think of an enthusiastic trumpeting of support for friendly relations between the two allied countries.

I do not think too many heads would turn if there was a similar celebration of the friendship and coordination between the US and the UK.

While you may find the positions taken by AIPAC to be repulsive, I would argue that for the most part its membership consists of people (all of whom are American citizens) who believe that supporting Israel is in the best interests of the United States.

I would agree that the leadership of the organization currently slants to the right, but there are also several liberal organization that are affiliated with the group, such as Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, and a few others.

[shaayecanaan]

16. So is every member of the Armenian National Committee...

and I suppose every member of the ANC believes that it is in America's interest to support Armenia. No doubt Greek lobbyists think friendship with Greece is good for America, as does the Turkish lobby in the case of Turkey. During WWII, the Bund of German American citizens was of the opinion that neutrality if not comity towards the Nazis was best for America. No doubt all of the people in these organisations were absolutely sincere and heartfelt in their intentions, and loyal Americans.

Of course virtually all members of the ANC are Armenian, and virtually all of AIPAC is Jewish. I think it is fair to say that the primary interest of the ANC is Armenia, and the primary interest of AIPAC is Israel. After all, as far as I know AIPAC doesnt have a sister operation in Israel that drums up support for America. And obviously both these groups tend to attract single-issue partisans.

I am someone of Arab, specifically Lebanese descent, living in Australia. Personally, I would not join an organisation that trumpeted, as an article of faith, the assertion that an alliance with Lebanon was in the best interests of Australia, mainly because I do not believe that assertion to be true. I do not think the interests of Lebanon have much to do one way or another with the interests of Australia, in fact I couldn't think of a country less relevant to the interests of Australia than Lebanon.

"I do not think too many heads would turn if there was a similar celebration of the friendship and coordination between the US and the UK."

Why, then, do you think that such a celebration does not exist, either for Britain or for Armenia, Canada, Europe, Turkey or any other American ally?

[ConsAreLiars]

17. You say "pretty much everyone is a rusted-on supporter of either one side or the other."

I suggest that you are falling into false framing trap. Some may fit that B&W-jingoist-supremacist categorization. I think many others here support secular (or even religious) peacemakers on both sides of those walls and in both communities, condemn religious fanaticism, and regard all killings, regardless of ethnic or national or religious affiliation of the murderers or the victims as repugnant, utterly evil and destructive of any chance for all for peace and for the people in the region to live in a decent society in the future.

Right path, wrong path. Just actions, unjust actions. Better for the people of the region, or worse.

[IndianaGreen]

7. And on DU as well?

[azurnoir]

10. Nah we're just practice space at best or maybe where

they'de send one of their second stringers

[shira]

13. especially on DU....fear the lobby!

:eyes:

My hunch is that whatever Israel or the "Lobby" spends on hasbara, it doesn't come remotely close to the tens of billions spent by Saudi Arabia promoting the Hezbollah, Hamas, and Fatah narrative that many here at DU swallow in whole.

[LeftishBrit]

11. I wish all wars were fought on Twitter and Facebook by 'Chairborne Divisions'

[Violet_Crumble]

18. Bags not being their neighbour on Farmville!

Don't need neighbours that'll be invading and bombing me all the time!