As owner of a PR agency, my business is in managing words – managing communications processes.
In media, and in politics, every action has a reaction.
From a PR standpoint, it’s undoubtedly realpolitik that the Palestinian Authority’s plan to seek United Nations recognition as a state will undoubtedly garner extensive attention – and is designed to harm Israel. The obvious next step is world pressure on Israel via media and political means to grant the poor, oppressed Palestinians a state.
Rather than wait for this to occur, perhaps the best response, as Likud MK Danny Danon has said, is that Israel must declare it will unilaterally annex Judea and Samaria (West Bank). As Danon said, “Why do we always need to react to Palestinian initiatives by begging for mercy?” “We need to say clearly that if they want to start a one-sided process, we’ll answer them in their own language.”
Why wait to be attacked in the world of Public Relations and Public Opinion?
Those worldwide can understand that a unilateral bid for statehood would violate every PA agreement with Israel. Throughout history, it can be pointed out, many major decisions by Israel were taken unilaterally, including declaring the state by former prime minister David Ben-Gurion, annexing eastern Jerusalem by former prime minister Levi Eshkol and the annexation of the Golan Heights by former prime minister Menachem Begin.
Perhaps as importantly, from a publicity standpoint, it can be pointed out that Israel is no one’s whipping boy – and if they want to make up their own rules and have the biased world stand with them, there will be a real price to pay in the volatile Middle East.
As Ze’ev Jabotinsky the Zionist prophet said: “The Jew is everywhere in reach; he can be pointed out at any street corner; and he can be insulted or assaulted with only the minimum of risk, or with none at all. ..one permanent assignment that is entrusted to each of us, old and young, men and women, educated and ignorant, as a group and as individuals; this assignment is the defense of our people’s honor. It is always aimed at us, and we must respond. We must end this abuse of ourselves, at all costs.
"And it is very easy. They spit in our faces without fear, 'in passing,' for no reason – not because our insulters are blessed with courage and want to pick a fight with us, but because this pleasure is so cheap for them: they will spit at us and go on their way, and nothing will happen. We must accustom them to the thought that from now on this pleasure will come at a hefty cost.
"Wise people will come and try to dissuade us – But it is not our purpose to win in every single incident. Our objective – to create about us the belief that a slur on our national feelings is no longer what it once was, a small diversion free of cost – but will rather, with an absolute certainty and a mathematical precision, result in a sharp and unpleasant confrontation.”
When “wise people” try to dissuade Israel they have to know that Israel won’t back down – and that the Palestinians had better back down instead. For if Israel allows the Palestinians to act without impunity, what can be expected other than strong pressure to allow them a state?
Why not allow the world to understand that the State of Israel will fight back? And subtly, it may not be a bad idea to let them know – that every action has a reaction, and Israel is strong.
Why wait to be attacked in the world of Public Relations and Public Opinion?
“Do not say, so what if we concede Hevron, Shechem (Nablus) and beyond the Jordan — this concession is not comprised of words devoid of meaning, and everyone will understand this to be the case. Do not underestimate the power of a concession! … Do not underestimate the power of a right….” These too are the prescient words of Jabotinsky.
Undoubtedly, the Palestinian Authority and the world is capable of understanding that if they take unilateral action, Israel is no one’s whipping boy and it, too, will act – there is power in a right and in any concession.
Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a leading PR firm.