November 20, 2007
Hooray for Hamaswood!
Hamas is giving its western admirers one more reason to love the group: Hamas is buildings its very own movie production site in Gaza, according to the Jerusalem Post And Hamas is already expecting boffo B.O. for its first feature about a brave, speakin' truth to power preacher in the 1930s who fought -- you guessed it -- the Jews!
The first movie Hamas plans to shoot will be based on a novel by one of its hard-line leaders in Gaza, Mahmoud Zahar, the report said. Zahar has written seven novels, including a 1980 romance called "Beautiful Woman."A movie is also planned about Izzedine al-Qassam, an admired preacher who led a Palestinian revolt in the 1930s against the British and Jews in Palestine. Hamas' military wing is named for the charismatic leader.
To get international attention, this worthy project should cast some marquee names in supporting roles. For some in Hollywood, there's no such thing as pre-mature anti-Zionism. How about:
George Galloway as the sympathetic British official ready to fight Israel before Israel existed
Danny Glover as the sympathetic folk singer from Alabama
Barbra Streisand as the radical who thinks Birobdizhan is a much better place for Jews
Ed Asner in a kaffiyah
Rosie O'Donnell as the idealistic exchange student who falls in love with one of the brave anti-Zionists and says things like, "Gee willikers, now I know how the Jews make matzoh!"
Van | 11/20/07 at 10:36 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
September 05, 2007
Release the Mohammed al-Dura tapes!
Would you like to find out what really happened here?
Richard Landes, who has been doggedly pursuing the truth of this incident for years, writes:
Please sign the petition and send it to everyone. Philippe Karsenty’s appeal trial is coming up and this petition is part of an effort to pressure France2 and the Justice system.
To Patrick de Carolis, France2 Television
France2: Release the Secret Muhammad al Durah Tapes!
People around the world who depend on the media for reliability, accuracy, and transparency in reporting, demand that France2 release the unedited video tapes (”rushes”) that its Palestinian cameraman, Talal abu Rahmah, sent them on September 30 and October 1, 2000 from Gaza.
On September 30, 2000, your Middle East correspondent Charles Enderlin, broadcast a story about Muhammad al-Durah, a 12-year old Palestinian boy. Using the footage and the testimony from his cameraman, Talal abu Rahmah, Enderlin reported that Israeli soldiers had targeted and killed the boy. That allegation of deliberate murder spread instantaneously around the world.
Extensive doubts have emerged about almost every claim of this explosive report, and they raise serious questions about both the journalistic integrity of the cameraman and the professional judgment of his employer, your correspondent Charles Enderlin.
As a result, the raw footage France2 received from Talal abu Rahmah represent key evidence in this crucial case.
But instead of releasing the tapes, your institution has responded to criticism of your correspondent’s broadcast by suing French citizens for defamation and keeping the tapes secret for nearly seven years now.
If France2 reports the news responsibly and uses reliable cameramen, you have nothing to hide. Show the tapes and let the public judge.
Whatever political or religious beliefs we hold, whatever we now think about what happened on September 30, 2000, we, the undersigned, believe that all the victims and all of their loved ones – on both sides of the terrible war for which Muhammad al-Durah’s image served as the icon – deserve that this evidence at last be shown.
We, the undersigned, respectfully, but firmly, request that France2 release all the tapes for September 30 and October 1, 2000 for public inspection immediately.
Sincerely . . . .
Please sign the petition
Judith | 09/05/07 at 10:29 PM | 4 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
March 26, 2007
Some Thoughts on the Season 3 BSG Finale
I enjoyed watching the episode while it was running, but I haven't really enjoyed thinking about it afterwards.
Continue reading "Some Thoughts on the Season 3 BSG Finale"
Alcibiades | 03/26/07 at 01:49 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
March 21, 2007
"Obsession" Filmmaker Rips Slanted NY Times Article
[ Judith says: "My recent screening" referring to our latest contributor Robert Friedman. Welcome aboard, Robert! ]
Remember our recent coverage of the documentary film "Obsession: The Threat of Radical Islam" ?
Below is a response to the New York Times article about my recent screening of “Obsession” at NYU by the film's director, Wayne Kopping.
Continue reading ""Obsession" Filmmaker Rips Slanted NY Times Article"
Robert | 03/21/07 at 11:40 AM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
February 26, 2007
Free Abdul Kareem: It's not over yet
Egyptian blogger Abdul Kareem (whom we wrote about here) has been sentenced to four years in prison for writing blogposts critical of Islam and the Egyptian government.
Nick Cohen is quick to proclaim the impotence of the blogosphere in securing Kareem's release, and Richard Landes begs to differ. Not only is it too early to say how this new empowerment of the individual will affect entrenched dictatorships in general, it is even too early to tell whether the blogosphere can effect the release of Kareem. He has just entered prison. The outcry has not subsided. It's not over till it's over.
For an analysis of how the blogosphere can influence mainstream media to effect change, view Richard Fernandez' talk at the Media as Theater of War conference. For a stirring sweeping view of how the blogosphere empowers individuals, watch Benjamin Kerstein at the same conference.
Judith | 02/26/07 at 07:08 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
Why Jews are Liberals redux
An exchange between Richard Landes and a commenter on his blog, following his posting of his speech to the main Hertzliyah conference.
Commenter: A Jewish guy once told me why the Jews are all liberals. He said that up to the estabnlishment of Israel, the Jews hadn’t had to actually run anything for 2000-some years. The Christias, the Moslems, they handled that grubby stuff. The Jews meanwhile killed time by thinking/arguing/dreaming about how things ought to be. Backseat drivers to the world, I guess. This, my friend said, made them perfect for and hopelessly glued to the Dem Party.
Me? I’m not Jewish, but I submit the theory to the table.
Richard:
Continue reading "Why Jews are Liberals redux"
Judith | 02/26/07 at 08:04 AM | 5 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
February 24, 2007
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Over the next few days I will be finally posting all my material from the Media as Theater of War Conference. is below. Sorry for the delay. Orwellian revisions of Jewish history, demonizing Israel, fauxtography and related media manipulation, and confusion about Islamist terrorism have not abated, so unfortunately this material continues to be relevant.
Just scroll down, or visit my home page for all the MTW Conference posts, or go to the category Media as Theater of War.
Judith | 02/24/07 at 11:58 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
February 22, 2007
MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 3, part one
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Monday December 18th:
Panel III: Cyberspace as a Media Revolution: Implications for Israeli Public Diplomacy, Part one.
Part two here (Michael Totten and Richard Fernandez)
Chair and Comment: Yaakov Kirschen (The Drybones Blog)
Aussie Dave, Israellycool - "The New Soldier: The Citizen Journalist"
(audio)
Lisa Goldman, On the Face - "Blogging: The Power of Direct Online Communication to Humanize the Other" (partial transcript at the end of this post)
Lebanese Political Journal - "Beginning an Arab-Israeli Dialogue"
Benjamin Kerstein, Diary of an Anti-Chomskyite - "The Blog Revolution, Zionism, and Difficult Freedom" (video below)
Mary Madigan, Exit Zero - "Comments from Lebanon" (video below)
Cartoon and photos from Mary's talk
Blogger panel Q&A (video below):
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 3, part one"
Judith | 02/22/07 at 06:51 PM | 3 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 3, part two
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Monday December 18th:
Panel III: Cyberspace as a Media Revolution: Implications for Israeli Public Diplomacy, Part two.
Part one here (Yaacov Kirchen, Aussie Dave, Lisa Goldman, Benjamin Kerstein, Mary Madigan)
Michael Totten, Middle East Journal - "Comments from Lebanon" (video below)
Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club, Australian Editor, Pajamas Media - "How the Blogosphere Shapes Information" (video and slides below)
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 3, part two"
Judith | 02/22/07 at 06:39 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 4 and closing remarks
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Monday December 18th:
Panel IV: Where to Engage? Terrains of Public Diplomacy in the 21st Century
Dr. Mitchell Bard, Executive Director, American Israeli Cooperative Enterprise - "In Search of Israel Scholars for American Campuses” (transcript at the end of this post)
Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, Director, Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center - "Legal Initiatives" (audio)
Candy Shinaar, Director, Council of Hasbara Volunteers (CoHaV) - "Effective Utilization of Grassroots Efforts" (audio)
Noam Bedein, Sderot Media Center - "Report from the Front between Civil Society and Terror"
Joël Rubinfeld, The Atlantis Institute - "Europe, its Media, and the Atlantic Alliance"
Dr. Mike Cohen, Senior Analyst and Founder, Galilee Institute - "Facing Reality"
Richard's closing remarks from the conference began with him reading a letter from his college-student daughter. . . .
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 4 and closing remarks"
Judith | 02/22/07 at 05:25 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
The MTW Conference: Sunday Panels 3-5
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Sunday December 17th: This panel discussed how the Qana media manipulation was engineered by Hezbollah and how that affected Israel's image during the war.
Chair and Comment: Nachman Shai, Director, UJC Israel, Former IDF Spokesperson (partial transcript below)
Dr. Raanan Gissin, Strategic Consultant and former advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - "The Impact of Qana on the Outcome of the Lebanese War" (partial transcript below)
Reuven Koret, Publisher, Israel Insider - "Hezbollywood in Qana: How the Exaggeration of Civilian Deaths was Exposed by Bloggers and Web Publishers" (transcript below)
Jonathan Davis, IDF Spokesperson’s Unit (res.), VP for External Relations, IDC - "Experiences of an IDF Spokesman Reservist Officer in the Field" (partial transcript below)
Mark Regev, Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - "Qana as an Immense Media, Diplomatic & PR problem" (partial transcript below)
Joe Hyams, Honest Reporting - "The Frame Game"
Panel IV: The New Kid on the Block: Blogosphere and Mainstream Media in Lebanon
The first blogger panel, about how the blogs exposed the media manipulation.
(I don't have media or transcript of our panel - this photo is courtesy of Mary)
Panel V: Media Oxymoron: Open Reporting from Closed Societies
Stephanie Gutmann, The Other War: Israelis, Palestinians and the Struggle for Media Supremacy - "A Theme Park of Great Subjects – 20 Minutes from a Nice Hotel" (partial transcript below)
Dr. Reuven Paz, Senior Fellow, GLORIA - "Internet – the Open University for Jihad Studies" (transcript below)
Prof. Anna Geifman, Boston University - "Stockholm Syndrome in the Media"
Continue reading "The MTW Conference: Sunday Panels 3-5"
Judith | 02/22/07 at 05:23 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 1
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Monday, December 18 - The first panel discussed how to improve Israel's response to media manipulation. I have some transcript from the panel, and audio of the Q&A afterwards.
Opening Remarks: Prof. Richard Landes, The Second Draft, The Augean Stables
Chair and Comment: Daniel Seaman, Director, Foreign Press Office
Stephanie Gutmann, The Other War: Israelis, Palestinians and the Struggle for Media Supremacy - "Sabra Values in a Superficial World"
Philippe Karsenty, Media-Ratings - "Al Durah, Israel and European Jews: A Tragic Misunderstanding" (transcript at the end of this post)
Itamar Marcus, Director, Palestinian Media Watch - "Changes Necessary in Israeli Public Diplomacy"
Maj. Avital Leibovich, Head of the Foreign Press Division, IDF Spokesperson’s Unit
Amir Gissin, Director, Public Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Q & A, Part one.
Q & A, Part two.
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Monday, Panel 1"
Judith | 02/22/07 at 02:53 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
February 21, 2007
MTW Conference - Sunday, Panel 2
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Sunday, December 17 - The second panel discussed how the Western Media covered the Lebanese War.
Lee Smith, Visiting Fellow, Hudson Institute - "The Lebanon War: US Media Shortcomings and Agenda" (text below)
Nidra Poller, Paris Editor, Pajamas Media - "How do you say ‘Fauxtography’ in French?" (text below)
Tamar Sternthal, Israel Director, Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America - "Casualty Figures and “Disproportionate Force"
Professor Gerald Steinberg, Bar Ilan University, Editor, NGO Monitor - "Dealing with the Politicized NGO Network and the Media" (this presentation was mostly charts and graphs, some text at the end of this post) (an article by Prof. Steinberg on this topic)
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Sunday, Panel 2"
Judith | 02/21/07 at 11:41 AM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
February 20, 2007
MTW Conference - Sunday, Panel 1
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006.
Home page for my posts and links to other sites about the conference.
Sunday, December 17 - Opening remarks by Profs. Uzi Arad and Richard Landes (in which Richard lauds the blogosphere and Pajamas Media in particular) (text at the bottom of this post)
The first panel discussed how the Arab Media covered the Lebanese War.
Hayim Azses, Educational Director, Sephardic Educational Center - “Al Jazeera’s Coverage of the Lebanon War: Journalism or Advocacy?” (text at the bottom of this post)
Itamar Marcus, Director, Palestinian Media Watch - “The Strategic Use of Media During War: Hezbollah and the Palestinian Authority” (video below)
Leah Soibel, Senior Researcher, The Israel Project - “A Mutual Relationship: The Arab Media and Hassan Nasrallah” (text at the bottom of this post)
Michael Widlanski, Hebrew University, Jerusalem - “Israeli Air-Power vs. Arab Air–Wave Power” (text at the bottom of this post)
Video from Itamar Marcus’ presentation about Palestinian TV shows which encourage martyrdom:
Continue reading "MTW Conference - Sunday, Panel 1"
Judith | 02/20/07 at 11:55 PM | 0 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
January 08, 2007
Portrait of the blogger as a jaded grad student
A nicotine-deprived Benjamin Kerstein (infrequent Kesher Talk co-blogger) in the Aroma in Beersheva, catering to my allergy to cigarette smoke.
We had one of those college dorm-type bull sessions, mostly about different flavors of Zionism (Ben's specialty). I wish I could remember more of the conversation. I do remember suggesting he use the blog to draft some of the article ideas which came up. Let Kesher Talk be your scratchpad, Ben.
Beersheva seems to be the Fresno of Israel.
First I drove to Mitzpe Ramon to view the famous crater and the mountain goats ibex, and doubled back to Beersheva on the way to Jerusalem.
Continue reading "Portrait of the blogger as a jaded grad student"
Judith | 01/08/07 at 02:18 PM | 2 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
December 31, 2006
Conference on Media as Theater of War: collected links
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. This is the home page for my blogging about the conference on Media as Theater of War, the Blogosphere, and the Global Battle for Civil Society, Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. UPDATE: More links . . . more »Judith | 12/31/06 at 11:47 AM | 10 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
December 28, 2006
The MTW Conference: Mary has more balls than me
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. All my posts about the conference are collected here, also links to other blogs writing about the conference. I will post about the panels, I promise. So Michael Totten emails me and Richard Fernandez . . . more »Judith | 12/28/06 at 07:46 PM | 7 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
The MTW Conference: in the audience
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. All my posts about the conference are collected here, also links to other blogs writing about the conference. Richard Landes gazes upon his creation. Brett Schorr, conference manager extraordinaire, unflappable, and a really nice . . . more »Judith | 12/28/06 at 02:20 PM | 2 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
December 27, 2006
Apropos of the MTW conference
Robert Avrech recently had a conversation with an Israeli businessman on a flight back to the US from Israel, and they got into a conversation about the situation. Said businessman opined that the ultra-hassidim in Mea Sharim are as bad . . . more »Judith | 12/27/06 at 01:45 PM | 1 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
December 22, 2006
The Media as Theater of War Conference: the debate begins
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. All my posts about the conference are collected here, also links to other blogs writing about the conference. I have a lot to say about the Media as Theater of War Conference, but like . . . more »Judith | 12/22/06 at 04:02 PM | 11 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
The Media as Theater of War Conference: shmoozing
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. All my posts about the conference are collected here, also links to other blogs writing about the conference. UPDATE: A gaggle of Pajamas Media bloggers, lined up against the wall and shot by Idan . . . more »Judith | 12/22/06 at 03:03 PM | 0 Comments | 0 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
December 16, 2006
Live from the Daniel Hotel . . .
Hertzliya, Israel, December 17-18, 2006. All my posts about the conference are collected here, also links to other blogs writing about the conference. Update from the conference: It starts tomorrow. Lots of good conversation tonight at this ultra-swank hotel . . . more »Judith | 12/16/06 at 06:43 PM | 4 Comments | 1 TrackBacks | Categories: - Media as Theater of War
