The killing of Muhammad al-Durrah has gone down as one of Israel's most colossal hasbara failures ever. After the incident, which took place at the outbreak of the Second Intifada, the Palestinians claimed that IDF soldiers killed the boy in Gaza, and then-IDF spokesperson quickly assumed responsibility and issued a public apology on Israel's supposed targeting of the 12-year-old.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
When it transpired, several months later, that he was actually killed by Palestinian fire, it was too late: Public perception had already been cemented; the world was convinced that the Jews killed him and there was no fact, video, or investigation could change that false impression.
The IDF repeated its grave mistake from 2000 over the weekend, after the dust settled following the deadly clash between Jewish herders and dozens of Arabs in Burqa – a village off Nablus. The clash ended with one Palestinian dead and one Jew gravely injured. Although the facts were blurry, and despite one side's version of events taking hold, the IDF and the entire defense establishment were quick to label this incident as "Jewish terrorism." This narrative is what was communicated to the Israeli media and the US.
"We are greatly concerned about all the attacks that we saw in Israel, in the Palestinian territories over the weekend. We strongly condemn those attacks," US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said this week. He added that "the IDF spokesperson called the attack in Burqa 'nationalist terrorism'."
Practically all those dealing with the incident – from the IDF, the Shin Bet security agency, and the Israel Police – have denied making a definitive determination that this was Jewish terrorism, or that they communicated as much to the Americans. In that sense, it appears that someone is lying. Part of Communications 101 is never to make your views clear until you have checked the facts with all sides of a story. In this case, Israel provided a version that adopted the account of only one side before it had the actual information of what unfolded; in fact, it is still unclear what really transpired.
Such conduct inflicts major harm that ultimately hurts Israel's image the world over. Rather than rely on the Palestinians for this incident, Israel should have simply said the following: This is an open investigation; the facts are not clear, but we will hold those responsible accountable. In fact, the cautious approach is all the more necessary in light of the judge's decision to let the main suspect in the killing, the settler Elisha Yered, be released provisionally on house arrest (pending appeal), and said the evidentiary material did not meet the minimum threshold to establish that crimes had been committed. His friend, Yehiel Indore, who sustained severe wounds in the incident, is still hospitalized and has yet to be interrogated due to his condition. The Shin Bet is no longer part of the investigation, suggesting this is no longer considered a Jewish terrorism case.
A few months ago a similar incident took place just off Ariel, not far from where the events of the weekend took place. A Jewish tour guide was gravely injured by an Arab mob and had to resort to live fire as an act of self-defense, resulting in the death of one of the attackers. The security agencies chose to take him to a Shin Bet interrogation that lasted several weeks until the truth came out.
It is high time that the IDF Spokesperson's Unit and the rest of the security agencies draw the right lessons. If not from the events of two decades ago, then from what has just recently taken place.
Indeed there is a problem of Jewish violence perpetrated by some of the "hilltop youth." It's also troubling to see some senior members of the Coalition besmirch IDF commanders; this is not how the IDF policy shortcomings should be addressed. But it is also important that the IDF, despite the pressures of the media and the tensions in Judea and Samaria, be careful in what it communicates at home and abroad. Unnecessary statements result in costly unforced hasbara errors.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
