The Battle of Jenin: A Case Study in Israel's Communications Strategy | INSS
go to header go to content go to footer go to search
INSS logo The Institute for National Security Studies, Strategic, Innovative, Policy-Oriented Research, go to the home page
INSS
Tel Aviv University logo - beyond an external website, opens on a new page
  • Contact
  • עברית
  • Support Us
  • Research
    • Topics
      • Israel and the Global Powers
        • Israel-United States Relations
        • Glazer Israel-China Policy Center
        • Russia
        • Europe
      • Iran and the Shi'ite Axis
        • Iran
        • Lebanon and Hezbollah
        • Syria
        • Yemen and the Houthi Movement
        • Iraq and the Iraqi Shiite Militias
      • Conflict to Agreements
        • Israeli-Palestinian Relations
        • Hamas and the Gaza Strip
        • Peace Agreements and Normalization in the Middle East
        • Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
        • Turkey
        • Egypt
        • Jordan
      • Israel’s National Security Policy
        • Military and Strategic Affairs
        • Societal Resilience and the Israeli Society
        • Jewish-Arab Relations in Israel
        • Climate, Infrastructure and Energy
        • Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict
      • Cross-Arena Research
        • Data Analytics Center
        • Law and National Security
        • Advanced Technologies and National Security
        • Cognitive Warfare
        • Economics and National Security
    • Projects
      • Preventing the Slide into a One-State Reality
      • Contemporary Antisemitism in the United States
      • Perceptions about Jews and Israel in the Arab-Muslim World and Their Impact on the West
  • Publications
    • -
      • All Publications
      • INSS Insight
      • Policy Papers
      • Special Publication
      • Strategic Assessment
      • Technology Platform
      • Memoranda
      • Posts
      • Books
      • Archive
  • Database
    • Surveys
    • Spotlight
    • Maps
    • Real-Time Tracker
  • Events
  • Team
  • About
    • Vision and Mission
    • History
    • Research Disciplines
    • Board of Directors
    • Fellowship and Prizes
    • Internships
    • Newsletter
  • Media
    • Communications
    • Video gallery
    • Press Releases
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
New
Search in site
  • Research
    • Topics
    • Israel and the Global Powers
    • Israel-United States Relations
    • Glazer Israel-China Policy Center
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • Iran and the Shi'ite Axis
    • Iran
    • Lebanon and Hezbollah
    • Syria
    • Yemen and the Houthi Movement
    • Iraq and the Iraqi Shiite Militias
    • Conflict to Agreements
    • Israeli-Palestinian Relations
    • Hamas and the Gaza Strip
    • Peace Agreements and Normalization in the Middle East
    • Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
    • Turkey
    • Egypt
    • Jordan
    • Israel’s National Security Policy
    • Military and Strategic Affairs
    • Societal Resilience and the Israeli Society
    • Jewish-Arab Relations in Israel
    • Climate, Infrastructure and Energy
    • Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict
    • Cross-Arena Research
    • Data Analytics Center
    • Law and National Security
    • Advanced Technologies and National Security
    • Cognitive Warfare
    • Economics and National Security
    • Projects
    • Preventing the Slide into a One-State Reality
    • Contemporary Antisemitism in the United States
    • Perceptions about Jews and Israel in the Arab-Muslim World and Their Impact on the West
  • Publications
    • All Publications
    • INSS Insight
    • Policy Papers
    • Special Publication
    • Strategic Assessment
    • Technology Platform
    • Memoranda
    • Posts
    • Books
    • Archive
  • Database
    • Surveys
    • Spotlight
    • Maps
    • Real-Time Tracker
  • Events
  • Team
  • About
    • Vision and Mission
    • History
    • Research Disciplines
    • Board of Directors
    • Fellowship and Prizes
    • Internships
  • Media
    • Communications
    • Video gallery
    • Press Releases
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
  • עברית
  • Support Us
bool(false)

Publications

Home Publications Memoranda The Battle of Jenin: A Case Study in Israel's Communications Strategy

The Battle of Jenin: A Case Study in Israel's Communications Strategy

Memorandum No. 63, Tel Aviv: Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies at Tel Aviv University, January 2003

Hirsh Goodman
Jonathan Cummings
The memorandum summarizes proceedings from a conference on media coverage of the battle in the Jenin refugee camp during Operation Defensive Shield. Because coverage of the Jenin operation was such an outstanding example of Israel’s lack of strategic and operational media planning, the Jaffee Center’s Andrea and Charles Bronfman Program on Information Strategy devoted a full day’s conference to the issue to understand essentially what went wrong and why. This memorandum summarizes key points from the conference presentations and includes initial analytical conclusions on media strategy that have been disseminated to the policy community.

 Table of Contents

Preface 7

Introduction 9

Jenin: What Actually Happened?
Jenin: The Operational Considerations, Adir Haruvi 15
The IDF and the Civilian Population, Fuad Halhal 17
Facts, Illusion, and Strategy, Ze’ev Schiff 18
Human Rights and Jenin, Lior Yavne 20
A Critical Analysis from a Reservist’s Perspective, Eylon Javetz 22

Jenin in the International Media
BBC Coverage of Operation Defensive Shield in Jenin, James Reynolds 23
Coverage of Jenin on France-2 TV, Charles Enderlin 25
Reverberations of Jenin in the Arab World, Ehud Ya’ari 26

Strategic Assessment
Damage Assessment: An Overview, Ephraim Kam 28
The Economic Implications of Negative Press Coverage, Dan Propper 29
Jenin: The Diplomatic Cost, Gideon Meir 30

Lessons Learned from Jenin
The Strategic Imperative of Media Awareness, Shlomo Brom 33
Communications and Strategy: Lessons Learned from Jenin, Eival Giladi 34

Keynote
Devising National Strategy on Military-Media Relations, Martin Howard 37

Appendices
Appendix I – Human Rights Watch Report 45
Appendix II – UN Report on Jenin 54
Appendix III – Coverage of the Battle of Jenin in the International Press:
Selected Excerpts

The opinions expressed in INSS publications are the authors’ alone.
Publication Series Memoranda
TopicsMilitary and Strategic Affairs

Events

All events
The 18th Annual International Conference
25 February, 2025
08:15 - 16:00

Related Publications

All publications
Shutterstock (INSS modification)
In Their Death, They Commanded Us to Live: A Memorial Project for the Fallen of the Swords of Iron War
We invite you to look and learn about the fallen through this annual memorial project—to once again recognize how, in the microcosm of the people’s army, the character of its fallen reflects the society itself.
28/04/25
Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS
Three Strategic Paths to Achieve the Objectives of the War—One Is Preferable
Occupying the Gaza Strip, imposing a siege, or establishing an alternative civil administration while Hamas remains underground: Which of these three is the most preferable (or least harmful) option for achieving the goals of the war in Gaza—and how can the inherent challenges be addressed?
06/04/25
Shutterstock
“A Friend Brings a Friend” in the IDF? Similarity Bias and Its Impact on Cognitive Fixation
An examination of General Staff appointments over the past five decades reveals a frequent selection of individuals from the Paratroopers and Sayeret Matkal units for key positions. What are the implications of this—and what should the new chief of staff learn from it?
03/04/25

Stay up to date

Registration was successful! Thanks.
  • Research

    • Topics
      • Israel and the Global Powers
      • Israel-United States Relations
      • Glazer Israel-China Policy Center
      • Russia
      • Europe
      • Iran and the Shi'ite Axis
      • Iran
      • Lebanon and Hezbollah
      • Syria
      • Yemen and the Houthi Movement
      • Iraq and the Iraqi Shiite Militias
      • Conflict to Agreements
      • Israeli-Palestinian Relations
      • Hamas and the Gaza Strip
      • Peace Agreements and Normalization in the Middle East
      • Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States
      • Turkey
      • Egypt
      • Jordan
      • Israel’s National Security Policy
      • Military and Strategic Affairs
      • Societal Resilience and the Israeli Society
      • Jewish-Arab Relations in Israel
      • Climate, Infrastructure and Energy
      • Terrorism and Low Intensity Conflict
      • Cross-Arena Research
      • Data Analytics Center
      • Law and National Security
      • Advanced Technologies and National Security
      • Cognitive Warfare
      • Economics and National Secutiry
    • Projects
      • Preventing the Slide into a One-State Reality
      • Contemporary Antisemitism in the United States
      • Perceptions about Jews and Israel in the Arab-Muslim World and Their Impact on the West
  • Publications

    • All Publications
    • INSS Insight
    • Policy Papers
    • Special Publication
    • Strategic Assessment
    • Technology Platform
    • Memoranda
    • Database
    • Posts
    • Books
    • Archive
  • About

    • Vision and Mission
    • History
    • Research Disciplines
    • Board of Directors
    • Fellowship and Prizes
    • Internships
    • Support
  • Media

    • Communications
    • Video Gallery
    • Press Release
    • Podcast
  • Home

  • Events

  • Database

  • Team

  • Contact

  • Newsletter

  • עברית

INSS logo The Institute for National Security Studies, Strategic, Innovative, Policy-Oriented Research, go to the home page
40 Haim Levanon St. Tel Aviv, 6997556 Israel | Tel: 03-640-0400 | Fax: 03-744-7590 | Email: info@inss.org.il
Developed by Daat A Realcommerce company.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.