A Dummies Guide to the Hasbara

I have been writing a blog piece for several months about the lessons I am learning from my good friends in the Hasbara. But every time I think I've mastered their strategy, what do you know, there's another valuable lesson to learn just waiting round the corner. But for the impatient, here's a taster, and yes, they all begin with 'I'.

1. Infiltration
Get alongside your opponent and try and turn them, buy them, befriend them, bring them on-side. If that doesn't work move to level 2.

2. Intimidation
Don't like what they are saying or writing? Then bombard them with emails, letters and phone calls. Put them on the defensive. Intimidate them with accusations of anti-semitism, holocaust denial, etc. If that doesn't work, move to level 3.

3. Isolation
If you can't stop them, isolate them. Limit the damage they can do by making them a pariah. Intimidate others by smearing them with 'guilt-by-association', with accusations or insinuations. If necessary, threaten to withdraw any funding provided in #1. If that doesn't work move to level 4.

4. Incrimination
Associate them with criminal activity, with sex abuse, terrorism, incitement, anything to arouse the interest of the authorities.If that doesn't work, consider level 5.


You can read more in the Hasbara Handbook here
For an expose on the Hasbara see here. and Richard Silverstein here