Jerusalem-----August 21......The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) international PR machine in Gaza for the Israel disengagement process is sorely missing experienced and professional public relations and public affairs professionals in their emergency reserve call-up.

Blunder after blunder has taken place in Israel under the careful and watchful eye of thousands of foreign correspondents from the US, UK and France to Turkey, Spain and Japan.

"What the hell are we doing here?" complained a foreign journalist, who had waited in vain like a suitor stood up by a date for soldiers to force open the gate and deliver evacuation orders to the residents, the Jerusalem Post reported. "The real story isn't going to happen now until Wednesday, "and we won't even be here then!" he said with disgust.

IDF spokesmen who had escorted a busload of journalists to the site originally promised that soldiers would arrive within an hour. Four hours later – and only after learning from media reports that soldiers would not be sent to Shirat Hayam and several other settlements – the spokesmen agreed to return the journalists to the government's disengagement communications center at the Eshkol Regional Council for an explanation.

Capt. Sharon Feingold head of the international PR department of the IDF Spokesman's Office, who never served in a PR firm, never took a course in journalism or worked as an editor / reporter insisted that the IDF was not disappointed by the day's events, but admitted that neither was it possible to feel as if the day had been a success. Feingold's experience has been limited to IDF spokesperson on the job training for the past three years. She is dedicated and works hard but lacks the professionalism and creative juice needed to lead one of the most important and sensitive public affairs positions in Israel.

For the thousands of journalists that the army shuttled to the settlements, she said, there was simply boredom. "So there's boredom," Feingold said sarcastically. "I'm sorry there was no [violent] drama like some had hoped for."

Feingold just made the most serious error, the cardinal sin of one working in public affairs and public relations - she criticized the media. And in doing so to hundreds of professional foreign correspondents who were out sweating in 100 degree searing heat, she admitted that her office was not in coordination with the troops in the field.

As one who has worked in the Israel IDF Spokesperson's office I have witnessed a lack of communication between the IDF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but never such a gap within the Israel Defense Forces during a major and sensitive operation such as the disengagement from Gaza.

Another officer at the Eshkol communications center admitted that the IDF Spokesman's Office had been taken by surprise when soldiers were not sent to the settlements, and that there was no telling how Tuesday's operations would be executed.

A third spokesman from the Israel Defense Forces tried to put a positive spin on things, saying, "the good thing is that there was no bloodshed. The real story was that there was no story."

This was the positive soundbyte that Feingold should have used.

Millions of dollars have been poured into the unilateral Israel peace disengagement process from Gaza and parts of the West Bank. The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs saw little of this money but with a highly limited budget and staff continued to perform a fine job getting out messages to the media. Amir Gissin, head of the MFA public affairs department did what no Foreign Affairs officer did before him - he asked for professional media volunteers. The arrogance which had plagued the MFA for decades had now subsided with a professional and honest call for assistance.

On the other hand, the Israel Defense Forces which was provided with millions of dollars to secure Israelis who serve in the reserves for this traumatic disengagement, called up tour guides and hotel managers to represent the IDF while turning down offers of help from former Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Nachman Shai. Shai, who today represents United Jewish Communities (formerly the United Jewish Appeal in the US) in Israel became a national hero during the first Gulf War as he assured the Israel public that all was under control with a soft, calm and confident voice.

Another professional, Col. Miri Eisen who was borrowed from IDF intelligence to the IDF Spox office during Operation Defensive Shield, an attractive and intelligent woman who knows how to articulate was also turned away by the IDF Spokesperson's Office for younger soldiers who had little or no prior experience during a crisis communications PR event. Even Charly Levine, who runs the Israel office of Ruder Finn, one of the world's most respected PR firms based in Jerusalem, a professional of many years of experience having worked in the IDF spokesperson's office never received a call.

One of the most critical areas of effective, international media operations was totally ignored by the IDF PR team.
The urgent notices and stories posted onto the IDF's Website were never optimized for the Internet's search engines. Two private SEO (search engine optimization) companies in Tel Aviv had offered to optimize the Israel Defense Forces Website for free. Their telephone calls were never returned.

But one saving grace was that of a lady who came from Washington, D.C.
She has asked the INA to remain anonymous as she wants to stay clear of internal Israeli politics which could directly affect her project's work. This veteran, creative and aggressive public affairs professional represents a non-profit, US based pro-Israel PR project, one which is supported by a cross section of leading US Jewish organizations. Her consulting firm, which is dedicated to Israeli public affairs, consisting of the most professional public relations and public affairs professionals who make frequent trips to Israel to consult the Israel government on matters of public affairs. This dedicated pro was on hand at the Eshkol National Media Center providing media coaching and soundbytes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the IDF, Prime Minister's Office and the Israel police.

Another stroke of luck was that Marcus Sheff, an experienced media professional from Netanya , Israel and a native of the UK was called up. Marcus was interviewed today by the Israel Broadcasting Authority IBA English News which can be viewed from a link on the Jerusalem Post Website.

Sheff was brilliant in a TV stand-up where in the middle of the interview he was harassed by a settler in Gaza yelling "how much money are you making from this?" Marcus remained quiet, one could see his mind ticking away. He was ready to respond,you could see his confidence in his eye and facial movements.

"I understand the pain of this man," Marcus said. "I understand the pain of losing one's home, but we have a mission to accomplish here and we will complete this mission."

This was IDF Spox professionalism at its very best. I called Marcus. He was dead tired. He didn't know that people were actually viewing him on television and computer screens, miles and some thousands of miles away. I asked Marcus if he was coached with that soundbyte in the event of being harassed. He said no.

It was what came naturally to him. This was the epitome of Israel public affairs professionalism and experience under fire. I told Marcus to get a copy of the interview from the IDF Spox office which monitors all domestic and international TV channels. Something he could show his children one day - how in the face of adversity, emotional upheaval and lack of sleep - how he rose above it all and made us all proud of the IDF and the security it provides us with every day, every night with a warm and human side.

Marcus is only one of two experienced PR pros now down in Gaza representing the entire Israel Defense Forces international team.

Another serious flaw that has been witnessed is that many of the fine IDF career and SPOX reservists who make up in motivation and hard, exhausting work for a lack of seasoned professional skills are now burnt out.
No "second team" of fresh, media reserve professionals has been sent down to Gaza. When you are tired you make mistakes. A media accident is just waiting to happen.

One must compliment the IDF for having the right PR facilities and equipment in their Gaza media center available to journalists. Several computers hooked up with high speed Internet access and fax machines ready to file copy and stories. Buses and Israel Gaza fact booklets at the ready. Pens, paper and telephone access.

But none of this is worth one dime, if you don't have experienced, senior crisis communications PR professionals in both the IDF career and reserve forces to operate the equipment. Those who can spit out positive soundbytes after not having slept for three days. Those who understand and have experienced military combat as well as putting together a tight and creative lead sentence. Those who can work with the speed, motivation and creative thought of commercial public relations freelancers.

The Israel Defense Forces is the only governmental organization which has the authority and opportunity to call upon hundreds of professionals for reserve duty. Why then are Israel's largest and most respected PR, advertising and Internet PR agencies being ignored?

Part of the problem is budget. But during a major operation such as the Disengagement Process, money pours into the IDF like water from a breaking dam.
The IDF spokesperson's office is limited in the quality and experience of those they employ for they pay about 25 percent of what a professional can make in the commercial world. But there is no excuse for when it comes to the reserves where professionals are paid by the Israel National Insurance Institute.

The excuse: "we are doing the best with what we have," may work for the Israel Ministry for Foreign Affairs, but not the IDF which can call upon the best of the best in the reserves. But now two factors come into play, one is ego and the other is organization.

Some of the younger career officers of the IDF Spokesperson's office are threatened by standing next to a far more experienced and mature reserve media PR professional. They should look upon these professionals as people who will make them and the IDF look better, more professional in each and every aspect.

The second is organization. I know of a few international media professionals who were told that they would be called up for the IDF Disengagement operation, they cleared their office schedules, ignored their commercial clients and remained ready for that telephone call telling them where and when to report.

For some, that telephone call never arrived, rather they were told by officers in the IDF Spox that they were in meetings or on the telephone and would get back to them. These IDF reserve PR professionals lost thousands of dollars in income as a result of cleaning their plate for the State of Israel. A simple and honest phone call stating that they would not be called up would have resolved this problem. Today there are many public relations professionals in Israel who want nothing whatsoever to do with a governmental office which has humiliated them and cost them both clients, projects and money for their families!

Gen. Miri Regev, the newly appointed IDF Spokesperson, who is fluent with the domestic Israel media has her work cut out for her in creating a more professional international PR team representing the brave men and women in Israel's infantry, air force, navy and intelligence corp. They, the citizens of Israel and Jews worldwide deserve better.

Those IDF soldiers and Israel police who have exhibited the utmost patience, understanding and professionalism in 100 degree plus heat in facing one of the most difficult tasks of their lives - moving fellow Jews and their families from their homes - deserve better.

Israel was lucky this time. The unilateral peace Disengagement Process from Gaza and parts of the West Bank was a public relations success for Israel simply due to the substance for which reporters focused on - that IDF and Israel police were acting in the most humane and professional manner. It had nothing to do with spin or Israeli media advisors.

The next critical international event related to Israel, whether it be Iran, Syria, the Palestinians or Pollard might be very different where the substance will have to be explained again by those experienced PR professionals in Israel who know how the international media works and what their agenda is.

The author has over 25 years of international commercial, non-profit, governmental public relations, public affairs and editorial experience. Leyden was commended by the Israel Defense Forces for his crisis communications PR work during Operation Defensive Shield and today serves as a media consultant to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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