The meeting focused on Israel's struggle with an emerging "eighth front," the media battle, which Dr. Martin Sherman described as the most dangerous and insidious challenge to the country's existence.
He argued that Israel has neglected public diplomacy for decades, leading to a significant decline in global support, as evidenced by a recent Gallup report showing a 40% swing in American sympathy towards Palestinians.
Dr. Sherman criticized Israel's underfunded and misguided approach to public diplomacy, advocating for a context-oriented strategy that enhances Israel's image and undermines the Palestinian narrative. He emphasized the need for Israel to invest more resources in this area to generate international support and freedom of action for its strategic goals.
Dr. Sherman concluded that while Israel is finally waking up to this challenge, the response has been too slow.