One of Israel’s most hyped new propaganda machines stalled over the weekend during a show it put on in Yankee Stadium. Boxer Yuri Foreman, seemingly a nice Belarusian, Jewish boy has become Israeli hasbara’s most polished news story of late. He was TKOed by Miguel Cotto in the first boxing match in the new Yankee Stadium.
Most media outlet, including the sports commentators and analysis of ESPN and HBO who hyped the fight, or more realistically Foreman, recognized that he was no match for Cotto, yet he was the news story because of his “unique” and “emotional” story, born in Belarus, temporarily Israeli, living and training in the US, studying to be a rabbi, became the darling of the Israeli Consulate, and by extension, US media.
Even NPR featured him unabashedly, while recognizing the manipulation of, but leaving unquestioned, the fact that he is far more of a propaganda project than a boxing champ:
Normally, the sparring at Demarco’s doesn’t occur in a ring decorated with Israeli flags. And this sweat-drenched space, a floor above Ace Auto Styling, isn’t usually populated with officials from the Israeli Consulate. Joel Lion is one — and he says Foreman offered himself up to the consulate as a goodwill ambassador. It was Foreman’s idea, Lion says, to set up events like the Staten Island boxing clinic in the name of Israeli national outreach.
Somehow this more of an emotional story than the fact that Cotto’s father and coach has just passed away, and this would be Cotto’s first fight since his father’s passing, or the fact that Cotto is fighting to reclame his championship title after losing to Pacquiao a few months ago.
Foreman is an Israeli who lived in Israel less than he did in either the US or Belarus. He trained at a Palestinian gym, yet has no problem claiming at every turn that those Palestinians who hosted him and trained with him despised and resented him. But as NPR mentions and fails to analyze, Israel is desperate for “outreach,” read some propaganda and PR in light of Israel’s reprehensible self-inflicted image and the cultural boycott that has been hitting Israel.
This time Israel’s new PR machine malfunctioned, and was left permanently damaged (Foreman’s knee gave out), given that this happened during the same week as Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla and the ensuing condemnation, it is a metaphor that can’t be over looked.
Related posts:
- Modernity cuts through Israeli Propaganda
- ISRAELI PROPAGANDA: Che Guevara would be just as fat as Ariel Sharon if he were still alive
- Nit Twit Propaganda on Twitter
- Israeli propaganda: a war criminal’s best friend
- Blackmail: Israel’s Stock in Trade
Well, his story is different than that of the typical boxer. However, the truth always triumphs.
Posted by Misha | June 9, 2010, 7:27 amFayyad you have serious self esteem issues, don't project on the Jews.
Posted by moe | June 9, 2010, 9:44 amWake up moe, time to quit your tavern
the world doesn't revolve around you,
So save us your Freud BS.
Posted by Han | June 9, 2010, 10:21 amAccording to Fayyad and Will the world does "revolve around" Jews.
Posted by moe | June 9, 2010, 6:32 pmNo according to you, with your senseless amalgamations (self-esteem issues… is that how you talk always?)
Posted by Han | June 9, 2010, 9:22 pmHan, this is an Arab blog, or Arab American, the first word from the top is "Israel", all the posts are about Israel or related to Israel. You have an obsession.
Posted by moe | June 10, 2010, 6:59 ammoe screetches "You have an obsession"….more like a rodent control problem!
Posted by Chauncey | June 10, 2010, 6:12 pmYou said it your self,
Ir'ts a blog, so it has a theme,
This blog's theme is to show some Americans the true face of Israel and Zionism, If it might be of a comfort for you, there are hundreds of racist Zionist blogs…
But no one complains about that
Posted by Han | June 10, 2010, 7:34 am