Did you read about Israel’s new charm offensive? Me too, but apparently I failed to grasp the “charm” of strip searching pregnant journo Najwan Simri of Al Jazeera (left) down to her birthday suit was for the purpose of stimulating positive coverage of Israel!
Eyewitness Roee Ruttenberg reports +972blog (my bold):
Inside the hotel ballroom, Netanyahu was lecturing (yes, lecturing!) the foreign press, asking why they are not covering Israel’s more positive image? He cited the strong economy, booming tourism, vastly advanced R&D facilities, and the standard bearers of Israeli self-defined success. All the while, an invasive strip search was taking place on the other side of the door. Did he really expect Simri to leave the event only to go home and blog about Tel Aviv’s beaches?
But that’s just the warmup…
Then, when the irony could not top itself, somehow it did. A journalist from BBC’s Arabic-language service asked the prime minister a pre-screened question about East Jerusalem. Netanyahu’s response started off calmly, but grew in emotion. It went something like: “Imagine that a British Jew would be forbidden by the UK government to purchase property in East London and do with it as he wishes? There would be outrage. In London. Or in any other world capital. Let’s take your country,” he says to the BBC journalist. ”Where are you from?” The journalist, speaking in Arabic-accented English, responded: “I am from Israel, Mr. Prime Minister.”
Netanyahu stumbled over a few words before recovering. But suddenly, a reality check for the PM – a reminder that there are Arabs living in Israel, Arab citizens of the State of Israel. This is their state just as much as it is any other menorah-stamped passport holder. And they are entitled to the same rights and dignity.
Another failed attempt to put lipstick on a pig.
