Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry Holds Successful Exercise
Ahead of Gaza Flotilla
(Communicated by the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry
Spokesman)

The Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry yesterday (Tuesday),
28.6.11, held a successful readiness exercise ahead of the Gaza flotilla.
In the course of the exercise, Ministry employees summoned Public Diplomacy
and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein to a special situation room
that has been established ahead of the flotilla. The situation room is
designed to disseminate public diplomacy on the Internet via messages,
photos, video clips and additional materials, with emphasis on Diaspora
communities, as well as Jewish organizations and friends of Israel around
the world, that are seeking to assist public diplomacy activities in their
languages and local environments. Participating in the exercise were
professional elements from the Ministry, along with representatives from the
Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry, the IDF Spokesperson, the
Government Press Office, the Jewish Agency and public diplomacy
organizations.

The simulation:

The exercise was based on a scenario in which approximately 500 activists on
approximately ten ships reached Israel's territorial waters at 10:00.
Despite having been warned by the IDF, the ships continued on their way. At
10:30, the Israel Navy began approaching the ships. Stun grenades were
thrown at the IDF soldiers, as well as one live grenade that caused a number
of casualties to our forces. At 11:00, the order was given for IDF units to
physically seize control of the ships on which there was resistance. Our
forces were attacked with live – and other – weapons and were obliged to
neutralize the assailants. The results, by 11:45, were ten IDF soldiers
wounded (one critically, four severely and the rest lightly). Among the
flotilla participants, there were two dead and 14 wounded, including two
severely.

As the events were taking place, the media – with emphasis on the Internet,
Facebook and Twitter – were flooded with mendacious reports (by private
users, Hamas and others among Israel's enemies). The situation room, in
coordination with the IDF Spokesperson and the National Information
Directorate, began to disseminate credible messages to Jewish communities
and friends of Israel around the world. Those in the situation room
responsible for new media began to update messages on the social networks,
Facebook and Twitter.
_____

Minister Edelstein said that, "Given the provocation by the flotilla, which
is entirely designed to attack Israel's image around the world, we
established a special situation room that will ensure coordination between
Government officials, Diaspora Jewish communities and friends of Israel
around the world. We are here to expose the true face of the terrorist
organizations and the inciters to hatred that have organized the flotillas
and which disseminate messages and photos in real time over the Internet. I
am certain that alongside us will stand significant force multipliers in the
form of thousands of activists from Jewish communities around the world."

For additional details, please contact Public Diplomacy and Diaspora
Ministry Spokesman Gal Ilan at 050-6207774.