State Department Complains That Israel is 'Writing Off Their Reputation Damage'

by Daniel Greenfield
March 31, 2024 at 4:30 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20530/state-department-israel-reputation

The Israelis are too busy trying to win a war to worry about "reputation damage," as everything Israel does, beginning with merely existing, inflicts "reputation damage," since much of the Left and Islam spend much of their time launching every possible smear at Israel.
Israel was being accused of genocide even before October 7, for not letting Hamas invade Israel to kill Jews. Fighting back against Hamas is definitely genocide. Anything short of Jewish genocide is... genocide.
Israel is not going to win a "reputation" game. It can, however, rebuild its reputation of being too dangerous to attack. That's worth a whole lot more in the Middle East than trying to win friends and influence enemies with territorial concessions and appeasement.

The Israelis are too busy trying to win a war to worry about "reputation damage," as everything Israel does, beginning with merely existing, inflicts "reputation damage," since much of the Left and Islam spend much of their time launching every possible smear at Israel. There are lessons here for America that the State Department is eager that we never ever learn. Pictured: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet on January 30, 2023 in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo by Debbie Hill/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

"The Israelis seemed oblivious to the fact that they are facing major, possibly generational damage to their reputation."

When your country has been invaded and over a thousand of your people have been murdered, do you:

A. Smash Those Responsible
B. Focus on Your Reputation

America initially went with A after 9/11. And then decided to spend the next 20 years in B mode.

Israel is now understandably in A mode after spending even longer in B mode after the Oslo Accords. This is understandable to anyone who is a normal human being and therefore unemployable at the State Dept.

Assistant Secretary of State Bill Russo, overseeing global public affairs in the State Department, told Israeli foreign ministry officials in a call on March 13 that both the U.S. and Israel face a "major credibility problem" as a result of the "unpopular" Israeli military offensive in Gaza, according to a memo cited by NPR.

"The Israelis seemed oblivious to the fact that they are facing major, possibly generational damage to their reputation not just in the region but elsewhere in the world. We are concerned that the Israelis are missing the forest for the trees and are making a major strategic error in writing off their reputation damage."

The Israelis are too busy trying to win a war to worry about "reputation damage," as everything Israel does, beginning with merely existing, inflicts "reputation damage," since much of the Left and Islam spend much of their time launching every possible smear at Israel.

Israel was being accused of genocide even before October 7, for not letting Hamas invade Israel to kill Jews. Fighting back against Hamas is definitely genocide. Anything short of Jewish genocide is... genocide.

Israel is not going to win a "reputation" game. It can, however, rebuild its reputation of being too dangerous to attack. That's worth a whole lot more in the Middle East than trying to win friends and influence enemies with territorial concessions and appeasement.

There are lessons here for America that the State Department is eager that we never ever learn.

Daniel Greenfield is a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. This article previously appeared at the Center's Front Page Magazine.

Follow Daniel Greenfield on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook

© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Recent Articles by Daniel Greenfield

Everything in the Middle East Means the Opposite, 2024-12-16
Biden Takes Credit for Syria Regime Change He Tried to Prevent, 2024-12-12
The Gentle Art of Negotiating with Terrorists, 2024-12-02
Thought Police, 2024-11-28
Socio-Feudalism's War on the Individual, 2024-11-22

receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free gatestone institute mailing list.

Comment on this item

19 Reader Comments

Don Spilman • Apr 2, 2024 at 00:26

If Israel would be more concerned with their reputation and character before God they would be winning even greater conflicts! That is going to have to happen in the coming Gog of Magog very heavy brief deadly battle!

Reply->

Annie • Apr 1, 2024 at 22:05

I am thankful for the wisdom of PM Netanyahu. Soon we will send a strong POTUS to Washington as his greatest supporter. We know we are share the same enemies. A perfect storm has been created for the West. Obama/Biden's open border has brought the threat home to Americans, putting us on par with Israelis in terms of survival.
When it comes down to it though we will unite and we will win.

Reply->

tiki • Apr 1, 2024 at 06:46

Better writing of "reputation damage" than Jewish human life damage. 80 years after the Holocaust, the world is AGAIN ganging up against the Jews, blaming them for not participating in their own endgame.... annihilation! Blaming the Jew for killing those that want to kill him & accusing him of Genocide, when winning the game. So be it! Jews have sacrificed enough blood to the vampires of the world, feeding themselves off Jewish blood.

Reply->

Edward C.Stengel • Mar 31, 2024 at 14:43

Mr. Greenfield hit the nail on the head. This is a war, not a popularity contest, & the only way Israel could ever win a popularity contest is if it lost the war.

Reply->

Harvey Radnor • Mar 31, 2024 at 14:07

Kudos to Daniel Greenfield for saying out loud what all normal people think other than antisemites and Liberal lunatics. After all, what has world opinion in the last 75 years done to help Israel?

Reply->

JB SILVER • Mar 31, 2024 at 12:54

I've noticed that all my fellow writers blame 'America'.
But they are none of them correct.
'America' is still the "Shining City on the Hill".
82% of its population support Israel, and 'only' 14% support the evil of Hamas.
Even most Democrat voters support Israel's just fight.
The corrupt Democrat Elite, most Moslems, and the psychopathic sick 'Woke Progressives',
support the Evil.
G-D Willing, Pres. Donald Trump will sweep back to the White House, and if Republicans don't screw up, they will get a majority in both houses and will return the USA to its prior Glory and Greatness.
As our lovely Israeli Anthem, HaTikva, The Hope says,
"Od Lo Avda Tikvateinu", "Our Hope Is Not Yet lost"...
'Chazak ve-Ematz Ki HaShem Adoneinu Itanu' - "Be Strong And Brave, Because G-D Our Lord Is With Us."
A Joyous Easter to those who Observe it, and a Happy Pesach in about 3 weeks.

Reply->

Don Spilman

JB SILVER • Apr 2, 2024 at 02:48

The problem is JB, that America is done for there is great shaking coming to every nation. America has been the glue that held the world together for two hundred years. When she falls much chaos will ensue and much war famine and disease will overtake the world!

Reply->

JB Silver

Don Spilman • Apr 2, 2024 at 14:40

You see, Mr. Spilman, I'm a Jew and trust in the Justice of G-D being 'softened' by HIS Mercy.
And I still believe that the vast majority of Americans are good people who love G-D and
His People Israel.
82% of Americans support us , while 'only' 14% support Hamas. Now if you factor in that 4%
of the 14% are Moslems, and then the other 10% is from 'Woke' [sic & sicker] Whites, Blacks and Latinx [again, sic & sicker - normal Latinos are 97% in favour of Latino & Latina], MOST Americans are OK.
Of course, I live in Israel and I assume you are in the USA, so obviously you may well know things I do not. But I also have Faith in the G-D of Israel...
Best Wishes and G-D Bless,

Reply->

Don Spilman

JB Silver • Apr 2, 2024 at 15:48

I know Tanakh fairly well, have been a student of the prophets for many years and see the undeniable fulfillment of the end times prophecies clearly converging with today's dangerous occurrences! The "church age" is coming to an end and the "time of Jacobs Trouble" is about read to commence. And God Bless you I hope you are in the remnant!

Reply->

Joseph Silver

Don Spilman • Apr 3, 2024 at 08:03

It's in G-D's Hands who is saved, physically. Spiritually, it's in our hands, but then none are 'Saved'. But Jews trust in "Chasdei HaShem, Yishtabach Shmo le-Ad"
The Grace & Lovingkindness of The ALMIGHTY, May HIS Name Be Praised Forever.
G-D Bless,
Joey

Reply->

MARCOS KATZ • Mar 31, 2024 at 11:40

Excellent, like most articles. It exactly matches my point of view. Perfect!!

Reply->

Michael Schmidt • Mar 31, 2024 at 11:33

"This is understandable to anyone who is a normal human being and therefore unemployable at the State Dept."
Exactly. Or at any legacy "news" or "educational" establishment. I once thought that it was amusing to observe that we had ceased to produce adults. It's gotten really seriously not-funny.

Reply->

Alkflaeda • Mar 31, 2024 at 09:36

The question is - does Israel want to survive, or to win approval? Having a good reputation is of little use if it takes the form of a plaque somewhere, "Israel was here. Whilst they lasted they were mensches".
The other question is whether there is a legitimate ethical critique going on here. If there was, then Israel would have a duty to listen and perhaps do some reassessment. In my opinion, the critique is not valid and Israel has no such duty.

Reply->

William Downey • Mar 31, 2024 at 09:16

General Patton said, "Americans love a winner." Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case anymore.

War is a win-lose proposition. Israel must win this war, and to paraphrase Farragut, "Full steam ahead and damn the reputation." One cannot become victorious worrying about reputational damage.

The United States does not have moral or legal grounds to lecture Israel on how to conduct the war against Hamas. How can this administration fail to recognize that Israel daily faces an existential crisis? Iran and Qatar fund and supply Hamas and Hezbollah for the express purpose of wiping Israel off the face of the earth.

Israel is a democratic state and has been a stalwart friend to the United States. Instead of calling for new elections (Schumer) and, according to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Brown) slow walking military aid, the administration should first stop advocating for a two-state option. Second, force Qatar to stop funding Hamas. If our government chooses to use it, the United States has considerable leverage over its government.

Unfortunately, our government is so mealy-mouthed and spineless that it will not change its course.

Reply->

JB Silver • Mar 31, 2024 at 09:13

Amen.
And Bibi Netanyahu is the man to lead us to Victory over Hamas AND over Hizbullah, and over the Iranians.
And over the Biden Crime Family and the Obama retreads...
And Schumer Zachur leRa [Schumer, remembered for bad]

Reply->

Clive Delmonte • Mar 31, 2024 at 09:10

Mr Greenfield is exactly right in his assessment of the US State Department. It is astounding that the Department can complain about Israel after its own performance in Afghanistan, financing Iran with unfreezing Iran's frozen assets, thereby unleashing upon the whole world Islamic fundamentalism generously financed by the actions of Acting President Blinken.

Western, and world, civilisation now stands on the brink of a new Dark Age.

I salute brave miraculous civilised Israel as it faces down bestiality and darkness right across the Middle East, the first ramparts which protect civilisation.

Reply->

Jagdish N Singh • Mar 31, 2024 at 08:29

Its so ironical that the US State Department has not yet taken cognizance of the pattern of the behaviour of the Left and Islamists towards Israel ? History suggests no matter how civilized the the Jewish State acts in future, they would not cease to smear it. Jerusalem must stay focused on eliminating Hamas instead of diverting its attention towards safeguarding the so-called "reputation."

Reply->

Harvey Lithwick • Mar 31, 2024 at 07:53

Only the US State Department holds the opinion that surrendering to its opponents such as Iran, the Houtis, the Taliban, and on and on has enhanced its "reputation". America's erstwhile allies, in the Middle East and around the world have, however, come to realize that America is no longer a reliable ally, despite commitments to "have your back". Israel's reputation has in fact been enhanced around the world by its alternative approach in Gaza, namely to get rid of its barbarian neighbour. Look at what they are doing, not what they have to say to keep their hysterical masses content.

Reply->

Michel Calvo • Mar 31, 2024 at 05:08

It is not the israeli reputation that will prevent another genocide of Jews in their land or elsewhere, even in America.
The destruction of Hammas and Jihadists will.
By the way, reverse the words HAMAS and you will have in hebrew the name of the SATAN: SAMAH meaning the SATAN - DEVIL.
America, wake up! You are not anymore the America that I knew, intelligent, wise, thinking, reasonable, frank, fighting for values.
Your young and old leaders are imperilling the whole world.

Reply->