[This is updated here.]
It is easy to commend the work of the Israeli consulate in New York City today for its Citizen Press Conference on Twitter. The clear success of the project should go a long way to setting a standard that many governments throughout the world should investigate closely, then immedialy get to work replicating. Simple tool, simple plan, simple to participate, simple to succeed.
Read more about it from the participants here and in the Jerusalem Post here. The team announced it will continue answering questions by end of day Wednesday. Some highlights:
@AriNahmani: What is the biggest misconception about Israel in the current conflict? Thanks from Tel Aviv.
[@israelconsulate]: That Israel provoked it. People forget that 10000+ missiles and mortar rounds have been launched from Gaza since 2001.
@churchillone: How is a police station in Gaza a “military installation”? Stop the lying and please answer me!!!!
[@israelconsulate]: Since Hamas took control over Gaza in 2007, Government installations were turned into Hamas military bases. Today, all Hamas activity is done from Police stations. See: http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News/the_Front/08/12/2701.htm
You get the idea. Both questioners for and questioners against are treated the same. With fast, immediate answers. Often with links to more info. Most in 140 characters or less, though some answers were expanded upon at the project's Web site: http://www.israelpolitik.org/.
And to all questioners like the one above, who helpfully insist on including such elegant, oh so smart quadruple exclamation points: Nothing better communicates a calm, thoughtful, reasoned mind. So, thanks!!!
Additionally: Blogger and social media expert AriWriter offers great background and perspective on David Saranga, who has been finding ways to use new media for his cause for awhile now. And here is a photo of Saranga's team at work.
Also: Commentary magazine's blog wonders why YouTube removes Israeli Defense Forces videos.
And here is Benjamin Nethanyahu's YouTube video, saying "imagine your town, your neighborhood, your home was being rocketed again and again by thousands of incoming missiles, again and again. Imagine what you would do."
