The Layalina Review: Volume VI No. 12 | Layalina Productions, Inc.

The Layalina Review

	The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media. Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors. Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats. The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.
Statistic of the Week The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study. PDF RSS Twitter Facebook Recent Issues Vol. VI No. 11: 5/21-6/3, 2010 Vol. VI No. 10: 5/7-5/20, 2010 Archives Subscribe to our Publications Layalina Review Staff Leon Shahabian Senior Editor Anne Hagood Managing Editor Amelia bell Contributor Elodie Liobard Contributor Lorraine Jablonsky Contributor The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.	VOL. VI NO. 12, June 4-June 17, 2010 Israel’s Hasbara Suffers Setbacks Responding to criticism for the delay in releasing IDF footage of naval commandos being attacked aboard the flotilla, Israeli officials claim that Israel’s public diplomacy has become the country’s new battlefield. In the meantime, Iran scales-up its Anti-Israel propaganda through Arabic speaking media, fueling animosity in the region. Global Citizens, We Value Your Opinion The Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman teams up with a pro-Israel Facebook group to hold an internet video conference concerning the flotilla clash. Officials in the US State Department speak of the power of internet in diplomacy, but some believe that the agency's new ventures are heading in the wrong direction. BBG Out of Touch with Reality A recently published report by the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, commissioned by Senator Lugar (R-IN), revealed the internal challenges that the BBG faces that are hindering the agency’s work. Notably, the report called for a revision of the Smith-Mundt Act, which it considers out-dated and perhaps in the current technological environment, counter-productive. US Pavilion: A Corporate Blunder The US Pavilion, dubbed by many as public diplomacy fiasco, brought another attack to the fore over alleged murky finances from the private sector, denoting the State department’s little interest in the event or even in cultural diplomacy. An Unhappy Anniversary On the eve of the Cairo speech’s anniversary, Arabs and Muslims consider the achievements and setbacks that have occurred in US-Arab relations over the past year. While many have praised some initiatives like the Entrepreneurship Summit, the vast majority criticizes the overall lack of follow up. Al-Qaeda’s Harem The poor state of women’s rights in Saudi mainstream society is turning out to be a central factor in explaining the increase of women joining Al-Qaeda as they play an active role within the terrorist organization. Bridging the Gap between Internet and Print News As the hosts and participants celebrate the success of the Ninth Arab Media Forum in Dubai, other regional conferences discuss the future of print media and professionalism in the age of online journalism, pondering the challenges that the internet poses to the future of reporting. Helen Thomas Resigns over Controversy US veteran reporter for the White House Helen Thomas announced her retirement following comments that sparked widespread controversy over the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Thomas’ remarks, dubbed racist by US mainstream media, were heralded in the Arab world as courageous. Insurmountable Bias? A former BBC correspondent handed in his resignation over an alleged bias in his coverage of the Middle East, sparking a debate on the issue of neutrality and religious affiliation in reporting on the region. Turkey Realigns Itself with the Arab World Israel’s raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla continues to generate vivid criticism from the international community, while Turkey is realigning itself with Arab countries. In the meantime, the US is weighing the consequences of its relations with both Turkey and Israel.

The Layalina Review on Public Diplomacy and Arab Media

The Layalina Review is a peerless bi-weekly source for monitoring developments in the spheres of public diplomacy and Arab media.

Its readers include academics, Foreign Service Officers, students, members of Congress and their staffs, foreign diplomats, and professionals in both the private and public sectors.

Published 26 times per year, the review is free to subscribers and available in PDF, HTML, and RSS formats.

The Layalina Review is brought to you thanks in part to a grant from The Dr. Scholl Foundation of Illinois.

Statistic of the Week
The UAE is the 'most connected' Arab country, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, in a new study.

Recent Issues

Vol. VI No. 11: 5/21-6/3, 2010

Vol. VI No. 10: 5/7-5/20, 2010

Archives

Layalina Review Staff

Leon Shahabian
Senior Editor

Anne Hagood
Managing Editor

Amelia bell
Contributor

Elodie Liobard
Contributor

Lorraine Jablonsky
Contributor

The views expressed here are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Layalina Productions, Inc.

VOL. VI NO. 12, June 4-June 17, 2010

Israel’s Hasbara Suffers Setbacks
Responding to criticism for the delay in releasing IDF footage of naval commandos being attacked aboard the flotilla, Israeli officials claim that Israel’s public diplomacy has become the country’s new battlefield. In the meantime, Iran scales-up its Anti-Israel propaganda through Arabic speaking media, fueling animosity in the region.

Global Citizens, We Value Your Opinion
The Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman teams up with a pro-Israel Facebook group to hold an internet video conference concerning the flotilla clash. Officials in the US State Department speak of the power of internet in diplomacy, but some believe that the agency's new ventures are heading in the wrong direction.

BBG Out of Touch with Reality
A recently published report by the staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, commissioned by Senator Lugar (R-IN), revealed the internal challenges that the BBG faces that are hindering the agency’s work. Notably, the report called for a revision of the Smith-Mundt Act, which it considers out-dated and perhaps in the current technological environment, counter-productive.

US Pavilion: A Corporate Blunder
The US Pavilion, dubbed by many as public diplomacy fiasco, brought another attack to the fore over alleged murky finances from the private sector, denoting the State department’s little interest in the event or even in cultural diplomacy.

An Unhappy Anniversary
On the eve of the Cairo speech’s anniversary, Arabs and Muslims consider the achievements and setbacks that have occurred in US-Arab relations over the past year. While many have praised some initiatives like the Entrepreneurship Summit, the vast majority criticizes the overall lack of follow up.

Al-Qaeda’s Harem
The poor state of women’s rights in Saudi mainstream society is turning out to be a central factor in explaining the increase of women joining Al-Qaeda as they play an active role within the terrorist organization.

Bridging the Gap between Internet and Print News
As the hosts and participants celebrate the success of the Ninth Arab Media Forum in Dubai, other regional conferences discuss the future of print media and professionalism in the age of online journalism, pondering the challenges that the internet poses to the future of reporting.

Helen Thomas Resigns over Controversy
US veteran reporter for the White House Helen Thomas announced her retirement following comments that sparked widespread controversy over the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Thomas’ remarks, dubbed racist by US mainstream media, were heralded in the Arab world as courageous.

Insurmountable Bias?
A former BBC correspondent handed in his resignation over an alleged bias in his coverage of the Middle East, sparking a debate on the issue of neutrality and religious affiliation in reporting on the region.

Turkey Realigns Itself with the Arab World
Israel’s raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla continues to generate vivid criticism from the international community, while Turkey is realigning itself with Arab countries. In the meantime, the US is weighing the consequences of its relations with both Turkey and Israel.