THE ISRAEL QUIZ
March 31, 2008 at 6:44 pm (Ignorance, Israel, Palestine)
Even more frightening is the fact that the video and questions were prepared by a pro Israeli organisation, it seems they like the fact that the people remain ignorant…
If only it were all true. Londoners — well, some Londoners, anyway — believe that “Israelians”, part of a whopping population of 450 million, are getting ready to celebrate their 2,000th anniversary in their capital city. Which is, of course, Iran… or possibly Afghanistan.
Some enterprising researchers from Bicom, the pro-Israel advocacy group, took a video camera out into the streets of London to discover what people did or did not know about Israel. The results, which will be posted on YouTube, were collated to highlight Bicom’s first Israel advocacy training conference, which is being held on April 6 on the JFS school’s campus in Kenton, North-West London.
If these random responses are typical of the population as a whole, then pro-Israel groups may need to re-think their entire approach to outreach education. Beyond the chattering classes, it is not so much a learning curve as a learning flatline, a black hole of fairly good-humoured ignorance about the Middle East. From young professionals to single mothers, from people hanging out on park benches to cheerful fruiterers on London street markets, the responses — often uttered with considered authority — bear little resemblance to the truth.
What are the Golan Heights, Bicom asked. One woman confidently explained: “They’re those buildings with tops, that look gold in certain weathers.” Who is this, the Bicom staffers said, showing respondents a picture of Israeli premier Ehud Olmert.
“Bob Marley,” said one man. (We know the reggae icon sang about “Iron, Lion, Zion”, but that’s pushing it a bit.)
Respondents were on safer ground when asked if they could name three famous Israelis. Two went for Eurovision winner Dana International, while one opted for Chelsea coach Avram Grant. But neither “Arafat” nor “Bin Laden” has ever been a famous Israeli.
Geography was similarly dodgy: Israel’s capital was given as Iran or Afghanistan, while, when asked what countries bordered Israel, one woman riposted brightly: “Vietnam”.
Lorna Fitzsimons, Bicom’s chief executive, said: “Perception is reality when it comes to most things. The video vox-pops we did for our conference, although for fun, show how little people actually know about Israel. There is a danger that we presume too much knowledge when we communicate messages about Israel to UK audiences. The conference is about stripping away these assumptions and getting down to the real view of Israel in Britain and how best to communicate with people accordingly.”
The JC’s media commentator, Alex Brummer, will join — among others — the Israeli ambassador, Ron Prosor; John Spellar MP; DJ Collins, head of corporate communications for Google; Michael Prescott, managing director for the communications consultancy Weber Shandwick; and Rick Nye, managing director of pollster Populus, in running sessions during the advocacy day.
The event is designed to give members of the community the skills and confidence to promote or defend Israel either in the media or in daily life and at work.
detainthis said,
March 31, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Ignorance is strength.
Peace is war.
Israel is benevolent.
jfc said,
March 31, 2008 at 7:54 pm
The vomiting beings in 5…4…3…2…1…HURL!!!!!
Cadavre said,
March 31, 2008 at 8:30 pm
The last woman, more seasoned respondent, gave some good answers:
Q) What is the religion of Israel?
A) Islam
Well, by all rights, it should be. Maybe this woman has an old bible published in the 50’s where the centerfold maps of the “holy land” don’t make any mention of Israel. It’s called Palestine!
I didn’t know that what ever religion Israel claims to be, would allow itself to be used by war and oil profiteers, for just a fist full few shekels, as it seems the war and oil “bosses” claiming to the government of Israel do.
No true follower of any parish would engage in the kind of behavior Israel does. No one who is human would do that.
True Jews should be upset and get off their fannies and fix this mess before more die and fascism steals all our rights.
Peter said,
March 31, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Actually you need to take note of the following facts:-
1. The video was made by professional liars.
2. We cannot hear the ACTUAL questions that the professional liars were REALLY asking.
Gewyne said,
March 31, 2008 at 9:42 pm
ha ha - I have posted on this blog a few times that the UK once Pro-Palestinian on a political and intellectual level has become more and more pro-Israeli.
On a street level, Israel / Palestine is a none issue
bombing, a death, innocent child dieing, peace talks.
next year
bombing, a death, innocent child dieing, peace talks.
next year
bombing, a death, innocent child dieing, peace talks.
next year
bombing, a death, innocent child dieing, peace talks.
People lost interest, its a back ground issue, the sun rises, our lungs expand we breathe and we never give thought about it, it happens whether we think about it or not. That is the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and people here mostly don’t care - those that do are more and more pro-israeli.
Palestinians lost the media war…. they will be left their your ghettos, their segregated townships and wonder who’s to blame - And it is them, they let the Jewish media and Lobbies dictate the game, and they never told you the rules, your not even sure when the game finishes or when it started. And that is why the Palestinians will lose whilst Israeli holds up the cup and bask in the adoration of the world.
So a great people, such great potential let down by their leaders and inability to break the mold and take a single coherent strategy to win want they want….. RIP Palestine
the above is not my full view, I hope a two or one state solution is found, my heart bleeds when I see the opression in every aspect of Palestinians lives… but they need to wake up NOW and do something, because time is running out. Take the bull by the horns, start dictating the agenda and run with a policy … their are 100,000’s or people willing to help. Millions in Palestine, lebanon, Jordan wanting to help…. sadly, I do not see anything being done, another 5, 10, 15 years… more settlements, more fortifications, by the time their is a solution their will be nothing to settle for.
Matthew Moriarty said,
March 31, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Q) What is Greater Israel?
A) The United States and Germany.
Ted said,
March 31, 2008 at 10:25 pm
The media only gives a good view of Israel so the average person has no clue how bad they actually are
http://www.pafundi.com
Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command: 4475
Elka said,
March 31, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I was really shocked about the ignorance of the Londoners! The ignorance of the Americans is already sort of familiar to me, knowing
But how badly they are disinformed. I was several times in the States and could experience that, yet I must say that they badly long for information.
The Prophet said,
March 31, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Well now that the problem is identified do something about it ! The western media is a complete zionist lying propaganda machine. How about the non zionist financial forces in the world taking control of some of the media. How about informing the people in the west that their media is under complete zionist criminal control. Arab nations are pulling in 100s of billions of dollars in oil revenues. Use some of it to counter zionist propaganda.
Gewyne said,
April 1, 2008 at 2:21 am
@ Prophet -
I agree with you, but I think the battle is almost other. Time is slipping so fast I cannot see how things will change. There is a small swell of Palestinian sympthay in younger people (Teens) but they are not the people who are going to push for change. By the time these people can vote in numbers (and thats providing its even a worry for them by the time they can) the whole thing will be mute.
I read a lot of these blog’s, the contributors, stories and discussion - its a great blog/circle but even amongst them there is little co-herence.
Thats not a problem if there are a lot of you and your on an even playing field, however when odds are stacked against you and you are few in number without a strategy or plan you will just be lost in an ocean of Zionism thats cornered every part of the spectrum you need to grab hold of.
Boredom said,
April 1, 2008 at 6:44 am
Frankly, most westerners are more concerned about being displaced from their own homelands than what’s happening in the middle east.
Dan Ryan said,
April 1, 2008 at 8:52 am
I think there are two levels where respondents are filtered:
- people with a clue tend to march straight past street pollsters as they are busy folks and don’t rush up wagging their tails to perform if a camera is pointed at them, they don’t cherish hopes of ‘being on TV’;
- people with a clue can always be deleted from the finished product.
I bet you if these self styled ‘researchers’ had found me, and I’d given them an earful of the knowledge that I have, it would never have made it onto the video.
It’s a mistake to characterise all Londoners as ignorant - to do so is merely to play along with these researchers whose argument is that more pro Israel advocacy will meet with a receptive audience and will be played upon a blank screen.
All the better to get their next ‘research grant’!
Richard said,
April 1, 2008 at 11:23 am
Any American in business or a profession knows the risk of saying anything even mildly critical of Israel. I myself have been warned, and considered myself lucky to have a second chance. I am in a business with many Asian customers. I have noticed that Asian immigrants do not believe they owe fealty to Israel. They believe they owe fealty to America, because America has allowed them residence and citizenship. They seem unwilling to shoulder any implied obligations to Israel the way non-immigrants do. Most of them seem to have no feelings about Jews one way or the other, if they can even recognize them at all!
Bertiz Benhamid said,
April 1, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Sad is it not that people have become so stupid and do not care what is happening in this world. Because of all this, Palestine is slowly taken over by an occupation force that has no business there. Hearing such dumb answers from grown people is not only alarming but a shame. Palestine is the Holy Land where the Hebrew, Christians and Muslims Arabs lived in Peace and harmony until the Zionist Entity was established in 1948 and from that time on all hell broke lose.