Hamas, PA suspicious of Israel's new webcast
Israel wants to win the hearts and minds of Palestinians through internet radio, something that isn't being well received by West Bank and Gaza Strip leaders.
As Israel seeks to expand its influence in the Palestinian territories, its authorities have found a new means of conveying propaganda to the people and perhaps even recruiting Palestinians as collaborators, activists say. Others, however, see the new effort as an Israeli outreach to improve relations and help solve problems.
The Israeli Defense Ministry unit known as COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) launched its first internet radio broadcast Dec. 20. The shows have been taking place each Thursday; a recording of each broadcast is available on YouTube.
Initially, COGAT has been providing mainly entertainment content such as Arab oldies, but once the format shifts to around-the-clock broadcasts, it will become more interactive, allowing listeners to ask questions and helping them tackle problems Palestinians face. The transition date has yet to be announced.
The webcast is one of many technologies COGAT uses — in addition to Facebook, the Telegram messaging service, smartphone apps and Wi-Fi at West Bank checkpoints and crossings — to communicate with Palestinians. COGAT's other media efforts have been successful, though perhaps less so since activists began campaigns against them. Nearly 500,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have "liked" and interacted with COGAT's Facebook page, according to a Dec. 30 post.
