How Israeli politicians fall into the hasbara trap

Israeli politicians are increasingly ensnared in what is described as the "hasbara trap," a challenge in public diplomacy where messages crafted for domestic audiences or adversaries fail to resonate with international observers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz recently exemplified this, with Katz boasting on X/Twitter about the IDF's capture of the Beaufort site in Lebanon and Netanyahu highlighting casualty figures against Hezbollah.

Katz declared, "Whoever threatens the citizens of Israel will lose his strategic assets, one after another," while Netanyahu stated, "Since the beginning of the War of Renewal, we have killed 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists." These statements, intended as clear messages to enemies and reassurances to Israelis, fall flat for a hypothetical American swing voter in Kansas. The core issue, according to the opinion piece, is the inherent difficulty in tailoring a single message for such disparate audiences.

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This is a clear message to our enemies, “ he wrote. “Whoever threatens the citizens of Israel will lose his strategic assets, one after another.”

The "hasbara trap" highlights the impossibility of crafting a universally effective message. What serves as a powerful statement for Israelis or a deterrent to enemies can be perceived negatively or simply ignored by global audiences. The article points to past instances, such as then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's threatening videos towards Lebanon, which, while boosting Israeli morale and psychologically impacting the enemy, also contributed to declining international poll numbers for Israel.

The author clarifies that this is not a criticism of Netanyahu, Katz, or Gallant, who are primarily serving their elected constituents. Messaging directed at Israelis is a democratic duty, and using communication as a tool against enemies is a recognized element of warfare, provided it does not incite war crimes. However, the piece suggests that the effectiveness of such messaging on the global stage is questionable, potentially harming Israel's international image despite its domestic or strategic utility.

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Since the beginning of the War of Renewal, we have killed 8,000 Hezbollah terrorists,” the prime minister said. “From the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion, 3,000. In the past month, 700.