Reply #52: The Israel Project:

[Jefferson23]

The Israel Project (TIP) is a U.S.-headquartered 501(c)3 non-profit group that describes its mission as being "devoted to educating the press and the public about Israel while promoting security, freedom and peace. The Israel Project provides journalists, leaders and opinion-makers accurate information about Israel. The Israel Project is not related to any government or government agency."<1>

Message Machine
While stressing that it seeks to provide "accurate" information, TIP is explicit about its sympathies. "As Israel faces threats from Iran and their proxies Hezbollah and Hamas, TIP is working to protect Israel and your global Jewish family," it states on its family.<2> It also states that "TIP regularly hosts press briefings featuring leading Israeli spokespeople and analysts that give journalists an opportunity to get information and answers to their questions face-to-face. By providing journalists with the facts, context and visuals they need, TIP causes hundreds of millions of people around the world to see a more positive public face of Israel. This helps protect Israel, reduce anti-Semitism and increase pride in Israel," it states on its website.<1>

In its self description for Guidestar, a non-profit information service, TIP states that it "identifies and proactively communicates proven effective messages that encourage people to support Israel and policies that will make Israel safer. Using sophisticated public opinion research to identify messages, themes and visuals that will bring support to key policies. TIP has trained thousands of influential policy leaders, opinion elites and spokespeople to help strengthen Israel's image in international media."<3>

"Conducted outreach and education to improve US understanding of the vital nature of a strong relationship between Israel and other countries around the world, primarily the US," it continues.<3>


Critical Commentary
Comment by Jeffrey Blankfort<4>:

...you should recall that the advisory board of The Israel Project is made up of Sen. Saxby Chambliss , R-GA, Sen. Norm Coleman, R-MN, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-PA, Sen. Arlen J. Spector D-PA, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR, Rep. Rob Andrews, D-NJ, Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-NV, Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, Rep. Eliot Engel , D-NY, Rep. Frank Pallone, D-NJ, Rep. Jon Porter, R-NV, Rep. Jim Saxton, R-NJ, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-CA, and Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC.



The Israel Project Media Fellowship
"The Israel Project Media Fellowship trains students on techniques designed to increase accurate and fair coverage of Israel and Jews in the news media...

"Past speakers who have addressed the TIP Media Fellows include Wolfe Blitzer of CNN, Alan Elsner of Reuters, Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard, Eleanor Clift of Newsweek and the McLaughlin Group, Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune, Tony Blankly of the Washington Times, as well as strategic communications experts, Stan Greenberg PhD and Neil Newhouse...

"The staff for the TIP Media Fellowships includes Marcus Sheff, former political reporter and communications executive; Laura Kam, former co-director of the Anti-Defamation League's Israel Office; Jennifer Packer, former journalist for the L.A. Times and Dallas Morning News; as well as TIP Founder and President Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi and Meagan Buren - all of whom are experts in strategic communications and Middle East affairs." <5>


Funding
On its website TIP does not report any details of the origins of its funding, it does include a graph on its website seeking to reassure potential donors that the bulk of contributions are spent on program services.<6>

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Israel_Project