Muammar al-Gaddafi. Photo: Ricardo Stuckert.

The following two points are relevant to public relations vis-à-vis Israel and it’s consistent failure to best the Arab world in the ongoing media war:

1. As the worldwide media is now reporting (led by today’s NY Post), Muammar el-Gaddafi is actively seeking a New York PR firm. Despite the entire world condemning his government, the mass butchery of his people and other matters, a government official sent a note to worldwide PR agencies asking them to “present our just and fair case to the world.” The letter went on to state that Libya has “…good moral, political and legal logic supporting our position as the legitimate, sovereign and popular government of Libya. We also have proof in written, audio and video forms to take our case forward.”

Even with what Libya faces, the email clearly understands PR quite well by stating clearly, “We can formalize any deal with your organization through a third party to help move things forward fast.” (Meaning we will keep it quiet and don’t care about disclosure or where or how we pay you.) Libya recognized that a crisis PR firm can assist during times of war – something the Israeli Government doesn’t recognize – and should learn from the Libyans.

(I was quoted worldwide by the media on this matter as saying: “I highly doubt any PR firm will positively respond to this request.”)

2. There is one place in the Middle East where tens of thousands of protesters have gathered and haven’t been beaten by police. Religious and non-religious, women and men, people from all ends of the political spectrum have gathered to raise concern about the situation in their country – and that place is Israel.

For all of the criticisms which Israel faces from so many around the world, the fact remains that Israel is the only democracy in a very rough and tough part of the world. The protesters in Israel are yelling for lower prices, affordable living and things to make life better. Whether these protests are justified or not I’d argue that Israel’s image and any PR campaign launched by Israel can only benefit from these sorts of demonstrations. It is democracy in action in a part of the world that rarely sees people in the streets without mass violence. (Witness today’s news regarding Syria killing over 100 of their own people.)

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, 1 of the 25 largest PR Firms in the U.S.