Israel made some appalling PR errors during Justin Bieber’s visit last week. His Twitter following is just short of nine million strong, but its reach is many times that when you add in the ‘re-tweets’ of his fans, and the media attention that his online pronouncements are afforded.
For the millions of youngsters who follow Bieber, their association with Israel will now be that it is the only country that has managed to upset their hero during his world tour. It could have been so different, but the efforts were always destined for disaster. (I know – as his biographer and a vocal Israel supporter I was personally made aware of several ill-advised plans.)
Making this work should have been a priority. We waste so much time on futile, smaller-picture stuff that when it comes to an opportunity to present a positive view of Israel to tens of millions of kids, we’re too busy with other things. Boker tov, boulder.
But this video is wonderful. Watch Bieber’s guitarist Dan Kanter playing the Israeli national anthem at the Tel Aviv concert.
Yes Israel made some real blunders, but at the same time, Bieber complained like a spoiled brat about not being able to go outside. You can’t have it all. You can’t be an intentional superstar and not think ppl will go crazy when you come to their country. Some of Bieber’s handlers need to teach him to grow up and appreciate the uniqueness of his position in the world.Of couse, He could always choose to go back to being an average 16 year old and give up the money, notoriety and perks that come with being world famous if he doesn’t like the attention he gets.
He is very well versed with the pressures of fame and the paparazzi. He deals with them – and the general frenzy – wherever he travels with admirable maturity and dignity for a 17-year-old.
In Israel things went to a different level. Advocacy groups and politicians hounded him and then spun nonsense about him to the media when he wouldn’t play their game.
He was also afforded peculiarly insufficient protection from the paparazzi in Israel.
It’s easy to paint him as a ‘spoiled brat’ and try and shrug the whole thing off. We need to learn lessons. Israel’s image matters.
Yes, Chas but kvetching on twitter does not show the maturity you speak of. I do think Israel could learn a PR lesson, but so could that youngman as well. His image as far as I could see was as damaged as Israel’s.
Sorry Chas don’t agree with you this time .I believe that the prime minister had other things on his mind such as the deteriorating state in the south and the rocketing of a bus
As for bieber , the 9 million or so tweets represent a great many hormonally challenged teenies most of whom would be hard pressed to find their own country on a map let alone israel
For once I think israel will survive the unfortunate dissing of young master bieber
On the contrary, the PM’s office was busy briefing the media against Bieber.
Obviously teenagers can find their own country on a map and many other countries, too.
It’s a shame that Israel has been placed in their mental maps as a bad place, and even more of a shame that there is so much defensiveness and so little willingness to learn so we can prevent repeats.
The ‘dissing’ of Bieber reaches many tens of millions of people and shapes their view. This is the next generation coming up.
Israel deserves better.
What on earth was the PM briefing against this kid ?!!
Why would Bieber meet with the PM but not the children from a troubled place? It doesn’t seem his usual style. My guess he had been warned against making political statements, and someone got the idea that meeting these children was such a statement. But he could equally have met children from other conflict zones, including the WB.
Hi Oy Va. Did you give my site a PROPER look? All is not what it seems.
The Justin Bieber Bible Quiz
http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2011/s11020143.htm
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The persecution of Justin Bieber
Feb 28, 2011 by Colby Cosh
http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/02/28/the-persecution-of-justin-bieber/print/
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Defending Justin Bieber
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/business-being-diva/2011/mar/4/defending-justin-bieber/
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Belieber: fame, faith & the heart of justin bieber
About the Belieber Book
http://belieberbook.com/about-the-belieber-book/
Any two-state solution MUST guarantee Israel’s security (as per UN Resolution 242).
Israel’s most important strategic asset is SAMARIA, in the West Bank.
Read all about it here:
http://tinyurl.com/3hx26pl