Israel's military public diplomacy evolution: Historical and conceptual dimensions

sciencedirect.com

Public Relations Review

Volume 44, Issue 2, June 2018, Pages 287-298

ClilaMagenaEphraimLapidb1

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2017.11.003Get rights and content

Highlights

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The study provides an overview of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit (ISU) evolution.

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It analyzes the Unit's adaptation to new and unknown challenges.

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The authors suggests a three-layer model for understanding the adaptation process.

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This includes the tactical layer, the strategic layer and the perceptional layer.

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New challenges were addressed by the ISU mainly on the tactical level.

Abstract

This study provides an historical overview of the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit (ISU) from the early years of the State of Israel until 2009. Analyzing five periods during which the ISU played a key role in Israel's public diplomacy [JB emphasis], this research sheds light on the challenges the ISU faced in different periods and circumstances and examines how the ISU tried to modify its methods and actions in response to geopolitical changes and media development, albeit not always successfully. The study suggests better understanding the adaptation process by applying a three-layer framework for analysis: the tactical layer, the strategic layer and the perceptional layer. The findings of this work demonstrate that in adapting to new circumstances, the ISU focused mainly on the tactical response level, with the result that it did not undertake any review or debate over the need for deeper perceptional changes in ISU policies.