How Israel uses ‘hasbara’ to whitewash its crimes against Palestinians

Israel’s practice of shaping narratives is known as “hasbara” — a Hebrew word that translates to “explaining”. The term refers to Israel’s public diplomacy scheme devoted to shaping public opinion, whitewashing its image and suppressing all negative commentary — especially given that Israel is no stranger to criticism, given its decades-long illegal occupation of Palestine and its subjugation of Palestinians. Israel has spent millions of dollars on hasbara, from hiring pro-lsrael lobbyists in the media to organising subsidised trips to Israel for thousands of people every year — all this to spin a narrative that favours Israel and attempts to conceal its apartheid and settler-colonialism in occupied Palestine. #Gaza #Hasbara